Motives for the Decision to Emigrate among Political Journalists in Russia

Currently, according to the world Press freedom index compiled by the international non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders, Russia ranks 164th out of 180, which makes it one of the most dangerous countries for political journalists to work in. After the start of the special military operation (SVO), control and pressure on journalistic activities increased significantly — the closure of editorial offices and persecution by the state increasingly forces journalists and media workers to think about emigrating and continuing their activities abroad. However, not all political journalists have left Russia. Despite the new restrictions and increased danger, some continue to work in Russia. Among them are employees of large federal media, as well as regional editorial offices, niche alternative media, as well as media workers recognized as undesirable organizations in Russia. In this paper, we explore the ideas of political journalists who continue to work