Join the Wilson Center for a panel discussion of how the crackdown on Russia's digital information space affects Russian journalists and private citizens, the political and social factors that enabled it and the possibility of a truly sovereign Russian internet.

The Russian digital information space is becoming increasingly isolated as a result of the war in Ukraine, and Russian audiences are at risk of being cut off from reliable information altogether. The Duma passed a law criminalizing the distribution of “false information” about the Russian army. Roskomnadzor blocked access to both foreign and domestic media websites, and drove most sources of Russian independent journalism into exile. What will be the costs of Russia’s new age of digital censorship? Join us for a discussion of how this crackdown affects Russian journalists and private citizens, the political and social factors that enabled it, and the possibility of a truly sovereign Russian internet.

Speakers

Andrei Soldatov, Investigative Journalist; Co-Founder and Editor, Agentura.ru

Olga Irisova, Former Galina Starovoitova Fellow on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution; Political Analyst, Cofounder, and Editor-in-Chief, "Riddle"

Alena Epifanova, Research Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations

Sergey Parkhomenko, Senior Advisor; Journalist, Echo of Moscow Radio

F. Joseph Dresen, Senior Program Associate, Kennan Institute