Before the war, Olga, whose name has been changed, lived in one of the regions of central Russia and worked with independent media as a journalist. Among other outlets, she wrote for Radio Liberty, which the Russian authorities labeled a “foreign agent” in 2017 and declared an “undesirable organization” in 2024.
Olga says that in February 2022 she began thinking about emigration, but was unable to leave. She says she had neither the money nor support from her partner, and was also in a severe emotional state.
“At that moment I was already burned out and understood that I would not be able to earn enough to support myself and my child with a disability in another country,” the woman says.
In 2023, Olga was added to the register of foreign agents, but she remained in Russia. Despite the growing risks, working as a journalist inside the country still seemed especially important to her, even though she understood that such work could lead to criminal prosecution and imprisonment.
At one point, the mother of an 18-year-old conscript approached her. According to the family, he had been sent to war without his consent. After returning from the front, he was not granted veteran status and therefore was denied certain benefits and rights. The family hoped that a publication would draw attention to the case and help secure his veteran certificate.
“His mother followed me around for several days saying: write about my son, write about my son,” Olga recalls. “I agreed and warned them about all the risks связанных with Radio Liberty. I did not sign it with my own name and thought everything would go as usual: either no one would notice, or they really would give the young man veteran status and compensation for his wound. But three days after the article was published, FSB officers came to see him.”