met two Russian journalists in the Lithuanian capital who face 15 years in prison in his home country. They continue their work despite constant fear.
The journalist, who fled Russia, sheds his thoughts on the current situation in Russia. And he does not do so without thinking or mocking – as a communication professional and clearly disappointed.
The journalists we interviewed appear anonymously, but their identities are known to .
The relatives and colleagues of the journalists in Russia would be at high risk of being in great difficulty if they could be identified, they say in the lobby of a hotel in Vilnius at the turn of March-April.
Both worked in the big media in their home country until the Russian president Vladimir Putin the administration banned the activities of their employer.
Even if returning to Russia would mean a 15-year prison sentence, one of the interviewees manages to be startled by saying that – despite everything – he cannot say that he left Russia permanently.
– I am a patriot, I love Russia, he says.
Praise has come from the Russian public
The journalists interviewed will continue to work for the Russian independent media in Lithuania.
There has been praise from the Russian public for bringing “fresh air” to the Russians.
They translate stuff into Russian and publish it on social media channels, such as Youtube. It has not been banned in Russia, at least for now. In addition, they take advantage of Instagram and Telegram.
Publishing and editorial work is financed from abroad. However, the interviewees do not want to say from which country or from which sources the money comes, citing security.
The state of the media has deteriorated further
Another of the interviewees says that he considers the state of modern media in Russia to be partly worse than in the Soviet Union.
– Although freedom of speech was suppressed in the Soviet Union and there were all sorts of problems, at least the speeches defended peace there.
He says those who defend peace will be brought to justice.
– Now the rhetoric is such that we are on the side of war and want war.
The work and lives of the journalists we interviewed are currently dominated by fear. Fear of getting caught. How are relatives, acquaintances and friends doing in Russia? Are they in trouble?
One of the journalists says that non-journalists are also afraid. Information that deviates from the official can result in a fifteen-year prison sentence.
Journalists are constantly fleeing Russia
Most Russians rely on information provided by the Putin regime. Only a few percent of Russians are looking for more information, another journalist says.
Propaganda does not always go through. According to reporters, its quality is sometimes so poor and the material is full of errors that people start questioning the information.
– For example, the Twitter account of the Russian Ministry of Defense first had one number and it was deleted. People saw this. The one who lies usually gets confused in the end with his own lies.
There are no exact figures for journalists fleeing Russia. One of our interviewees estimates that there are a few dozen of them, but the flow is steady and constant.
– They have left for Turkey, Uzbekistan and neighboring countries. They don’t tell you to leave because it may be that then they won’t get there. I know of cases where even journalists loyal to Putin have not been able to enter third countries.
In Belarus, the situation has deteriorated much earlier
The situation of the pro-Russian monarchy Alexander Lukashenko Belarus is no better. There, too, the media have been silenced and journalists have been forced into exile.
One of the Belarusian journalists we meet says that Belarus tends to declare independent media to be extremist. After that, doing business is impossible. In addition, employees are taken to court. Trials are just theater.
– The prosecutor has a long list of charges. For example, the New Year’s greeting for Belarusian opposition politics in 2021 is one indictment.
Readers are also at risk. Even pressing the like button on social media can lead to prosecution.
Another Belarusian journalist says he is in double exile from his homeland. He first fled to Ukraine last summer, and when the war broke out, from there to Lithuania.
It has been very heavy and stressful.
– However, we lived in Ukraine for eight months. We got used to working there, and getting the things we needed. Then everything had to be left there. First we lost our home and work, then we lost the things we already built in Ukraine.
In Belarus, he and his son, who worked in the same media, have been charged with misuse of power in their company.
– All our property has been frozen. My husband still lives there and is not safe.
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