Hosts Howard Amos and Nina Berezner look at the immense challenges facing independent journalism in Russia, which continues to cling on amid censorship and repression. They explore the emergence of what some have called a “new generation” of journalists, which includes Vera, a 21-year-old reporter from Belgorod, who covers the consequences of the war in Ukraine for her hometown despite the growing risks.  

We speak with journalists who have gone underground, use pseudonyms to evade government scrutiny, and exercise self-censorship to keep working. And we talk to a media manager who set-up a publication called the Prison Bulletin, a journal for those in Russian prisons. Together, they highlight the resilience and adaptability of Russian journalists who chose not to emigrate – and who are trying to navigate the treacherous landscape of wartime censorship and a crackdown on free speech.

The identities of some of our interviewees have been disguised for safety reasons.