Overview

• Dmitry Peskov acknowledged in Expert magazine that Russia’s wartime media controls are “unprecedented for our country.”
• He defended the measures as necessary to counter outlets he accused of deliberately discrediting Russia in the information space.
• Reporters Without Borders reports that almost all independent media have been banned, blocked or otherwise sanctioned since February 2022.
• Remaining news outlets are owned by the state or Kremlin allies, with employees required to follow presidential directives and self-censor.
• Peskov suggested that once conditions allow, a softer information policy will emerge and more neutral media voices will return.