YouTube Restrictions on Belarus and Russia Strengthen Minsk's Propaganda
jamestown.org

... Russian Minister of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev stated in a June 4 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other members of the Russian government that alternative Russian video platforms, VK Video and RuTube, are "demonstrating considerable progress."

He claimed that two-thirds of YouTube traffic has shifted to Russian platforms and that many Russian content creators from YouTube have moved to these platforms after their channels were blocked and deleted by YouTube last year (President of Russia, June 4).

The restrictions imposed by YouTube on content from Russia and Belarus following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have most negatively impacted independent bloggers and media outlets. The sanctions have made it more difficult for independent media, which previously relied on donations and advertising through YouTube, to expand their audiences and secure funding. ...

fwiw, I make zero effort to monetize my youtube channel. I just post (mostly music) videos, and let the copyright holders get their due money.