Study: Innovation as the Driving Survival Force
The past year once again shook the Russian independent media sector in exile. The Russian authorities tightened censorship, expanded surveillance, and criminalized the consumption of independent media content.
Independent exiled outlets held their ground despite the hostile environment and sector-wide financial crisis. The USAID support cut that triggered widespread jobs losses in the media development sector hurt but did not break Russian exiled media, which demonstrated an impressive capacity to withstand shocks. A sample of mid-sized and large media saw budget declines of 6% on average, having adapted better than anticipated (though the full brunt of the crisis may not come till 2026). Their continued operation reflects both the professionalism of the sector and the strong, enduring demand for independent reporting among Russian audiences at home and abroad. Against this backdrop, the Russian state continues to invest into the propaganda machine with over 7% increase in the budget over the last year.
The media landscape in exile remains diverse and highly innovative. Outlets cover a wide range of issues, experiment with new, creative formats, and tailor their content for audiences fatigued by war coverage and fearful of surveillance. Despite the hostile environment, over the last year, the Russian media in exile increased the outreach on Instagram (+108%), TikTok (+90%) and YouTube (+11%). In many ways, exiled media are forced into constant innovation. Rather than simply responding to each new restriction or state measure, they become innovation drivers that anticipate the next wave of measures, develop protective tools, and diversify their distribution strategies in advance.
Exiled Russian media offer essential reporting, contributing to audience engagement in Russia and informational security in the host countries. For people inside Russia, these outlets are often the last reliable way to access independent news that reach about 9% of adult population. Some of their correspondents still work in the country and reveal the information that the Kremlin seeks to conceal. For Russian speakers living abroad, and for European audiences, exiled media remain essential sources of reliable information about developments inside Russia. Their work helps EU institutions to assess the impact of sanctions, understand security risks and emerging threats posed by Russian state actors in Europe.
This report builds on JX Fund’s previous studies on the Russian independent media in exile. In particular, the 2022 and 2023 reports, which traced the relocation and adaptation of the Russian independent media into exile, and the 2024 report, which addresses the shrinking legal and technical support. This year’s study covers how Russian independent media in exile are navigating an ever-hardening information landscape: surviving funding cuts, resisting an expanding censorship regime, and continuing to deliver high-impact journalism that serves audiences in Russia, informs international policy, and contributes to European security. It also signals the urgency of broadened support, without which this vital ecosystem risks being overwhelmed at a moment when its role is more critical than ever.
Download the full report here.
Publication: November 2025
Project partner: The Fix Research and Advisory