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A Visit to a Russian Exile Media Outlet

  • Wiener Zeitung
  • Dennis Miskić

Since March 2022, The Moscow Times has had to operate in exile from Amsterdam. Like dozens of other exile media outlets, it endures impossible conditions and high security risks to be a beacon of hope. A visit to the newsroom.

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Navalny’s First Death Anniversary: A Year Later

  • Friedrich Naumann Foundation
  • Kirill Rogov

Kirill Rogov examines the aftermath of Alexei Navalny’s murder and its profound impact on the Russian opposition, highlighting the significant surge in viewership of independent media in exile. Despite the dismantling of opposition structures inside Russia, Rogov argues that exiled activists and journalists have struggled to form cohesive political networks.

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Three Years into The War, Russia’s Exiled Opposition in Crisis

  • Meduza
  • Lilia Yapparova

Lilia Yapparova explores the crisis within Russia’s exiled opposition three years into the war, as internal divisions and the death of Alexey Navalny leave many anti-war Russians feeling disillusioned and unrepresented. She examines the movement’s fragmentation, the challenges faced by its leaders in exile, and the uncertain future of Russia’s pro-democracy forces.

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Russia Preps to Block Income of ‘Foreign Agent’ Journalists

  • CPJ

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, CPJ has tracked 247 journalists branded as foreign agents and 6 exiled journalists sentenced in absentia. With a new law set to take effect in 2025, exiled media faces even tighter controls, forcing them to funnel earnings into special accounts as authorities continue their crackdown.

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Independent Media in Russia, Ukraine Lose Their Funding

  • The Washington Post
  • David L. Stern & Robyn Dixon

Independent media in Russia and Ukraine, critical for alternative reporting, have lost funding due to a USAID freeze. Many exiled Russian outlets, reliant on U.S. grants to reach Russian audiences with war and political coverage, now face a challenging future with the loss of critical financial support.

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Beyond the “Good Russian” – Rethinking Exile and Engagement

  • Kennan Institute
  • Sofia Gavrilova

Sofia Gavrilova explores the complex challenges Russian emigrants face since 2022, navigating tensions with host societies, fellow exiles, and their homeland. She argues that for a democratic Russia’s future, Russian exiles must move beyond victimhood, actively engage with local communities, and build bridges through concrete actions and inclusive dialogue.

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Kremlin Blocks YouTube, Russian Users Find Workarounds

  • The New York Times
  • Paul Sonne

Paul Sonne (NYT) reports on the Kremlin’s efforts to cripple YouTube in Russia, pushing users toward state-controlled platforms. While many Russians are finding ways around the restrictions through VPNs, journalist Ilya Shepelin, now in exile, warns that only politically active users will remain on YouTube.

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Russia Labels Komi Daily a “Terrorist Organization”

  • The Kyiv Independent
  • Tim Zadorozzhnny

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has designated the independent media outlet Komi Daily as a “terrorist organization”. This marks the first time the FSB has applied such a label to a media outlet. The Supreme Court finalized the designation in late December, intensifying Russia’s suppression of dissenting voices, particularly the independent media critical of the Kremlin.

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How Sanctions Against Russia Impact Journalism

  • Columbia Journalism Review
  • Lauren Watson

Sanctions targeting Russian propaganda have inadvertently crippled independent journalism. Exiled reporters, battling Kremlin censorship, face funding blockades from Western tech and financial giants, threatening their vital work of delivering uncensored news to Russians.

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A Mental Health Guide for Journalists Facing Online Violence

  • International Women’s Media Foundation

Online violence is often only considered a digital safety issue, but the impact of online abuse on journalists’ mental health is significant and has serious consequences for them, their work, and for press freedom. This is particularly true for women and diverse journalists who are disproportionately targeted by online attacks.

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Russia: What It Takes To Tell The Truth

  • BIMEX

In March 2022, the State Duma introduced new laws penalizing the “discrediting” of the Russian Armed Forces, leading to hefty fines or imprisonment for violations. This crackdown has made independent journalism increasingly perilous in Russia, spurring a mass exodus of independent media professionals. This publication aims to illuminate the realities faced by Russian independent media workers in exile.

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Resisting Repression: Kirill Martynov on the Role of Exiled Journalism

  • The Barents Observer
  • Георгий Чентемиров

In this video-interview, Kirill Martynov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta Europe, discusses the harsh realities exiled Russian media outlets are facing amid escalating repression and censorship. He emphasizes the need for independent journalism and education as tools for resistance against authoritarianism.

WATCH [RU]

Russia: Apple Quietly Deletes Nearly a Hundred VPNs

  • El País
  • Javier G. Cuesta

Apple has removed dozens of apps, even though the Kremlin’s censorship body did not order the move. These services, half-permitted by the government, enable people in Russia to access social networks and independent media.

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Handling the Mental Load of International Watchdog Reporting

  • Reuters Institute
  • Matthew Leake

Cross-border investigative journalism exposes reporters to unique mental health risks. A new study highlights systemic challenges, including legal threats, remote work stress, and lack of professional support. “Most still rely on individual coping strategies, leaving many systemic challenges to be faced alone,” says writer and researcher Belle de Jong.

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‘My Job Became a Crime’: A Russian Reporter’s Story

  • BalkanInsight
  • Borislav Visnjic

Elena Kostyuchenko, a Russian investigative journalist living in exile, explains how reporting on Putin’s war from inside Ukraine made her a criminal in her home country – and why people in the Balkans should be wary of Moscow’s propaganda.

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UK: Online Training Course for Exiled Journalists

    Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a new online training course for exiled journalists, in partnership with the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). The free e-learning course, which covers areas like UK media law, public affairs, writing styles and an introduction to the UK media industry, will help journalists forced to relocate to continue reporting.

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    Even in Exile, Russian Journalists Not ‘100% Safe’

    • Voice of America
    • Liam Scott

    When the opposition activist Ilya Yashin spoke after being freed from a Russian prison as part of the historic prisoner swap between Washington and Moscow, he said he had been warned never to return. But as the experiences of Russian journalists and critics already in exile show, distance from Moscow is no assurance of safety.

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