"Some of the media in exile couldn't survive without our support," says Korolev (a pseudonym), noting that the Free Russia Foundation provides not only studio space but video equipment and staff to operate it. "Every day, videos shot here accumulate hundreds of thousands of views in Russia, bypassing censorship thanks to VPNs. It's easier to work here without censorship."
Le Monde estimates that there are at least 1,500 Russian journalists working in exile, many of whom left their home country after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Russia, which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks 162nd out of 180 countries for press freedom, has banned almost all free press and all journalists are subject to censorship. According to RSF, the media "must follow orders issued by the president's office regarding subjects to be avoided, and must censor themselves closely." A law enacted on March 4, 2022 spells out a 15-year prison sentence for anyone spreading false information about operations in Ukraine -- and false information means any information that does not fit in with the Kremlin's official narrative.