A year after sweeping cuts to US democracy assistance and the dissolution of USAID, the impact is still being felt. Independent media worldwide have seen funding slashed – among them Russian outlets that serve as vital information lifelines for millions, even as their journalists face intimidation, surveillance, and threats to themselves and their families simply for doing their jobs.
Despite this setback, independent Russian media continue to operate. Indeed, it is just one of many challenges they have faced in recent years. “This is a sector that has continually proved itself to be resilient, consistently finding new ways of working,” our Director of Outreach & Communications, George Leech, explains in a recent piece by The Fix Media.
However, fewer resources mean less room for new initiatives and experimentation. All this at a time when Russia is moving to isolate the country from the global internet.
“It’s going to become harder and harder technologically to reach audiences in Russia,” he adds. “To have the technological firepower needed to break through and get into the country, you need significant resources.”
Without sustained financial support, breaking through Russia’s tightening internet censorship will become ever more challenging. The risk is not just fewer independent voices, but entire audiences being cut off from reliable information altogether.