Please join the Harriman Institute for a conversation with Sergei Smirnov, Ksenia Zhivago, and Alexander Borodikhin, all of Mediazona. Moderated by Ann Cooper.
During these times of war, political oppression, and intense military censorship, the work of independent Russian news media is more challenging than ever—professionally, personally, organizationally, and logistically. Launched in 2014 by Pussy Riot, Mediazona anticipated the growing grip of autocracy on Russian public life, covering the criminal justice system and the intensifying political trials. The invasion of Ukraine escalated the severity of cruelty and injustice, affecting people both outside and inside of Russia’s borders. As the Russian news media restructured their operations in exile, Mediazona remains one of the few outlets who maintains presence in the country, actively covering trials, reporting on the Kremlin’s wide-ranging abuses, and publishing investigations into the casualties in Ukraine despite challenges and threats.
