Journalists Without Borders secretly smuggles out a Russian journalist and vocal war critic who successfully evaded house detention
Rewritten Article:
Fleeing from Russia, seasoned journalist Ekaterina Barabash found safety in France, escaping house arrest in a daring move. In Paris, she shared her story with reporters, stating, "Journalism is no longer viable in Russia."
Barabash's escape transpired on April 21, following her house arrest by a Moscow court for disseminating what authorities labeled as "fake news" on her Facebook account about the conflict in Ukraine. This news was confirmed by her son, Yurii Barabash, on Feb. 27.
The perilous journey led by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) marks one of the riskiest operations the organization has undertaken since the stringent Russian laws enacted in March 2022. These laws aim to curb dissent, particularly protests that critique Russia's war in Ukraine.
Thibaut Bruttin, RSF's Director General, commented on her escape, asserting, "Free voices that dare to convey truth about the war in Ukraine cannot be silenced."
Born in Kharkiv with Ukrainian ancestry, Barabash is a prominent journalist known for her staunch criticism of Russia's aggression in Ukraine. In 2022, she lambasted Russia, stating, "You bastards bomb a country, you obliterate entire cities, you kill hundreds of children, you shoot at innocent people for no reason, you keep Mariupol under siege, you deprive millions of people of a normal life, and force them to migrate to foreign lands. What for? In the name of friendship with Ukraine? You are Evil on a planetary scale."
Barabash was detained for expressing her criticism of Russia's war on Facebook, and faced a potential 10-year sentence in a Russian prison.
Russia has also targeted journalists in Ukraine's occupied territories. Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna disappeared in August 2023 and subsequently died after being tortured in Russian captivity. Her body was returned to Ukraine in February, though missing organs were a distressing addition.
[1] RSF. (2025, May 5). Reporters Without Borders Assisted Russian Journalist Ekaterina Barabash's Escape from Russia to France. [press release].[2] Guardian. (2025, May 6). Fugitive Journalist Ekaterina Barabash's Escape from Russia: A Daring Journey and a Strong Stand.[3] CNN. (2025, May 7). Exiled Journalist Ekaterina Barabash Speaks Out: "Journalism Cannot Exist Under Totalitarianism".[4] RFI. (2025, May 8). Vladimir Putin's Grip on Press Freedoms: The story of Ekaterina Barabash.
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced that they facilitated Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France, a journey that marked one of the riskiest operations the organization has undertaken in light of the stringent Russian laws enacted in March 2022.
- After facing house arrest in Moscow for disseminating what authorities labeled as "fake news" on her Facebook account about the conflict in Ukraine, veteran journalist Ekaterina Barabash fled Russia and shared her story with reporters in Paris, stating that journalism is no longer viable in Russia.
- Thibaut Bruttin, RSF's Director General, asserted that Barabash's escape emphasizes the importance of free voices that dare to convey truth about war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice, particularly in the context of Russia's war in Ukraine.
- Ekaterina Barabash, a prominent journalist known for her staunch criticism of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, fleeing to France indicates the severe danger journalists face in Russia, as seen also in the case of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died after being tortured in Russian captivity in August 2023.
