Russian journalists in exile are secretly training the next generation of journalists

Despite the risks, some exiled Russian journalists are training the next generation of journalists in their home country from abroad. In a country ranked 162nd out of 180 in the press freedom index made by RSF, the task is very risky. 

For this reason, the classes are held by secure video, through Zoom and Signal messaging, with pseudonyms. For these future journalists, the task will be also perilous. 

Arrests of journalists are on the rise across the country. In April, for example, four Russian journalists were sentenced to five years and six months in prison for “extremism” for covering the activities of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Exiled since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, Olga Proskurnina, a Russian journalist, now lives in Paris, where she helps and accompanies future journalists in Russia from 2023 through a media start-up that she created. She prefers not to disclose all the details for obvious security reasons.

The Fix spoke to Olga Proskurnina, a 50-year-old Russian journalist, who until recently worked for the Russian media outlet Republic, a highly respected independent media outlet, classified as a “foreign agent” in Russia. 

How did everything start?

We started with a colleague who is also in exile. The idea was to create a friendly atmosphere for young journalists who stay there, who want to develop in the media industry, and who don't want to be part of the propaganda. 

We held an open call and received applications. We have young people, from 18 to 25 years old, but also older people, who also want to develop in the profession. For example, photographers with no writing experience. Since the beginning, we have trained around twenty people, from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also from other regions. 

How and what exactly do you teach them? Is it a lot about how to do their job safely?

Every day, we teach through Zoom and Signal messaging, with pseudonyms, for security reasons. Safety is, of course, a big part of the training, it's level one. But we don't stop there, we also help them find the right words and their style as journalists. 

We have 5-6 mentors, each working with a few students. Everyone researches topics, and then we discuss together. Then, for two weeks, the mentor and the student work together, conduct interviews, do research, and begin writing the first draft. The mentor edits it, and then the text goes to me. Finally, we try to sell this article somewhere in partner media outlets.

To independent Russian media outlets?

Yes, but with the exception of independent Russian media outlets labelled as “foreign agents,” because that's too dangerous. There's a real risk of imprisonment, four to eight years in prison for any collaborator of these organisations. So, we don't work with Meduza, for example. Their work is great, but the risks are unbearable. 

Right now, we're looking for new partners because we need to diversify. The training lasts one year, and after that we stay in contact with these journalists to continue helping them sell their reports.

How do you finance training?

We have a budget with some donations, and we also share the proceeds from the sale of an article to the media outlet with the journalist. We are very small with [limited] budget, but we try to do as much as possible.

Have you received any pressure, threats, or intimidation regarding what you do?

Fortunately, no. I think it’s because we're very discreet, it really helps us. And we'd like to stay that way. Now I founded a media startup, to continue these training sessions. The project will be launched soon, but we don’t want to advertise too much because all the young journalists in Russia are at great risk.

What's the state of mind of these students?

It's truly surprising because even though censorship is extremely severe now, even in these circumstances, people want to study this profession. Of course, no one wants to go to prison, so we're very careful to respect all safety protocols.

But they really want to be journalists, they want to be real journalists. For me, it was a real surprise.

When you were a journalist in Russia, how was it? I imagine you've seen changes in recent years when you were doing your work there?

I experienced all the stages of the development of independent journalism in Russia during my career as a journalist. When I was a little young, it was clearly a better time in the history of the Russian press. 

During the 1990s, the Russian media maintained their democratic, liberal principles. But many media outlets were taken over by the oligarchs, by big business, and brought under their control. Then Putin arrived, and it was the state that regained control over the media. 

Starting in 2014, the period of total oppression began. Oppression against freedom of speech and freedom of the press. And then, of course, the war in Ukraine – when censorship becomes military. 

At every stage, after the existence of independent journalism in Russia, it is [riskier] and more dangerous. Now in Russia, you can exist if you are the media who do propaganda. Otherwise, you work underground or in exile.

How do you see the future? I imagine it's rather positive to see that there are still people who want to continue working as independent journalists in Russia?

Obviously, we are all well-informed optimists, that is, pessimists, or realists. There is no sign that the situation regarding censorship will improve. On the contrary, things are moving towards more repression.

But at the same time, the independent media still exists. The resistance of independent journalism exists. This is a good sign, even if it is very fragile, and they need to be more well-prepared and protected to survive in this pool with the sharks.

Source of the cover photo: Patrick Perkins via Unplash

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