JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

From April 26 to July 6, the Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien gallery in Berlin hosts “No,” an exhibition curated by Meduza that brings together artists and journalists to explore life and work in exile amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and repression at home. The launch featured a panel on censorship with Ukrainian writer Zhenia Berezhna and Meduza editor-in-chief Ivan Kolpakov.

A Meduza journalist working undercover in Russia describes living a double life, hiding their identity from both friends and sources. Balancing safety, fear, and the burden of secrecy, they reflect on censorship, impostor syndrome, and the emotional toll of reporting anonymously in a society where many no longer want to hear the truth.

In the article, journalist Nikita Sologub shares how independent media like Mediazona continue reporting in Russia despite mounting repression. Founded to expose abuses in the Russian prison system, Mediazona has operated for over a decade, even as press freedom has deteriorated and the state increasingly targets dissenting voices.

Claire Murphy reports on the plight of Russian journalist Lilia Yapparova, who fled to Latvia after the Kremlin’s crackdown on independent media. Yapparova, along with hundreds of other Russian journalists, has found refuge in Latvia, a country that offers crucial support through organizations like Media Hub Riga.

Alesya Sokolova on how the relatively low popularity of independent media may be influenced not only by censorship but also by the choice of topics and the tone of content. While censorship remains the biggest obstacle, audience fatigue with negativity and a narrow thematic focus may also push even opposition-minded readers away.

Exiled Russian media site IStories has shared with GIJN how it built an AI-powered database of Russian military war dead and missing, and why it was worth creating. Katya Bonch-Osmolovskaya, editor of IStories’ data department, explains how the AI was trained, what kind of data Charon can collect, and why journalists should start learning to work with neural networks.

Benjamin Quénelle reports about the efforts of Russian journalists in exile who are discreetly training young reporters still living under the country’s oppressive media landscape. Despite the risks, these aspiring journalists are determined to pursue fair and honest reporting, even as Russia ranks 162nd globally for press freedom.

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.

After the war in Ukraine began, several journalists from Novaya Gazeta left the country and started the media outlet in exile, Novaya Gazeta Europe. Ekaterina Glikman, deputy editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta Europe, talks about the challenges of working as a journalist in exile in Switzerland, and how the new media outlet covers events in Ukraine and Russia.

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.

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.

Exiled Russian journalist Alesya Marokhovskaya works as an editor for IStories. Despite legal threats and surveillance, her investigative outlet strives to connect with Russians seeking truth amid a landscape dominated by misinformation.

Running a news outlet in exile presents unique challenges. For Lola Tagaeva, founder of Verstka, this means reporting under difficult conditions, maintaining journalistic standards, and reaching millions of readers while navigating the complexities of independent journalism abroad.

In November The Moscow Times hosted “Women Against the Kremlin”, spotlighting women’s resistance to war and repression. Journalist Ekaterina Kotrikadze, a pioneer of Russia’s #MeToo movement and advocate for gender equality, reflects on women’s rights, propaganda, and journalism in exile.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Russian regime has targeted journalists on the frontlines with deliberate attacks, leading to numerous deaths and injuries among women reporters. This campaign of terror aims to suppress independent reporting and obscure the realities of the conflict.

This report challenges the claims that there is no civil society to speak of inside the Russian Federation and that most of its activists are now in exile. A significant number of independent and democratically oriented initiatives and organizations continue to operate throughout the country to address societal issues through civic engagement. These should be acknowledged.

FRF Think Tank presents a policy brief addressing the situation of Russian citizens seeking protection in the EU, set against the backdrop of a severely deteriorating human rights situation in Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.