Two Russian reporters appeared on Monday to publish at least 30 articles on pro-Kremlin news site lenta.ru criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and his government’s repression of critics.
CNN reviewed the articles – which were immediately removed – some mark the 77th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany, while others criticize the use of the Russian leader. Victory Day To justify his bloody attack on Ukraine.
Reporters Igor Palyakov and Alexandra Miroshnikova made a number of claims in their articles, including that Russian security officials were “lying to relatives” about those killed in the sinking of the Russian navy. Black Sea Navy Primary Moscow And accused Putin of initiating one of the “bloody wars of the 21st century.”
“Putin and his circle are at risk of facing a court after the war,” Balikov and Miroshnikova told lenta.ru. “Putin and his allies can not justify themselves or escape after appearing in this war.”
Both Balyakov and Miroshnikova are business editors on the main Kremlin pro-Russian news site lenta.ru. The store’s parent company was recently purchased Russian Sberbank, Subject to US sanctions for Russian occupation of Ukraine.
CNN contacted two reporters and lenta.ru for comment, but did not immediately respond.
Russian Parliament Passed a law in early March Accuses Ukraine of considering lies about Russia’s war. Violation of that law carries a fine of 1.5 million rubles (approximately $ 21,467) or up to 15 years in prison. Putin and the state-owned media still refer to the full-scale ground war in Ukraine as a “special operation.”
Independent Russian news site Mediazone Published It was stated in the statement of Palyakov and Miroshnikova after the publication of the articles.
“Putin is a paranoid dictator,” they quoted him as saying. “Putin must go. He is starting a meaningless war and leading Russia into a ditch.
Polyakov and Miroshnikova not only publicly rejected the government’s position on the invasion, but also accused Putin of lying about his intentions in Ukraine from the outset.
Putin repeatedly lied about his plans for Russia in Ukraine, first naming a goal, and then completely different.
They pointed to Putin’s call for “liberation of Donbass,” “de-nacification,” and “militarization of Ukraine,” which they hastily combine to justify the justification for unnecessary war.
One of the articles in the duo’s Victory Day series focused on their description of the Russian military lying to the families of sailors who died under the Moscow flag. CNN previously reported Russian parents eagerly seek information on the whereabouts of sailors aboard a shipwreck by two Ukrainian missiles Sank last month.
The article suggests that the Russian navy may have reprinted old images of the crew of Moscow, claiming that more sailors left the ship unharmed than they actually did.
“It may have been a video archive of the Black Sea Navy leadership and crew members released by the Ministry of Defense after the tragedy because a relative of the missing crew member actually identified him on video.”
CNN could not independently confirm these claims.
Every article on lenta.ru started with the same urgent request under the heading.
Disclaimer: This item has not been approved by the government, so the Presidential Administration will delete it … In other words: Take a screen shot urgently.
Both signed from lenta.ru, “We are looking for work, lawyers and political asylum!”
“Do not be afraid, do not be silent,” they continued in an open call to action. “Resist! You are not one, you are many! The future is yours! … Peace to Ukraine!”
Criticism of the government is rare in the Russian media – especially since the war in Ukraine began in February. When he was editor of Russian television for a long time, he was the last major newspaper show to express dissent from the state media Marina Ovsyanikova The anti-war sign was identified during a live broadcast on Russia’s Channel 1 in March. He was arrested and fined 30,000 rubles.
Ovsyannikova now reports for a German-owned news agency from Russia and Ukraine
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