The Moscow Times muhabiri Samantha Berkhead'in okuyuculara açık mektubu

 

Letter by Samantha Berkhead, Senior Editor Dear reader,   Much about The Moscow Times has changed since the invasion of Ukraine turned all of our lives and careers upside down more than nine months ago.  After our initial departure from Russia to destinations across Europe and Central Asia, myself and several of my colleagues gathered in Armenia, where tens of thousands of Russians also relocated following the start of the war.  In the newsroom, we have pursued a number of initiatives to enrich our coverage. This summer, we launched Russian Money, a newsletter on the intersections between Russia’s business and power structures produced in partnership with top independent media outlet The Bell.  We also started a partnership with the Eurasian Climate Brief podcast, which is chronicling the climate change response in Russia and the wider region. While the move wasn’t without its challenges and cultural shocks, I’ve developed a fondness for Armenia: its people, its culture, its nature — and of course its food. It has been fascinating to witness the positive changes and development taking place in Armenia despite, or in spite of, its devastating 2020 war with neighboring Azerbaijan. In the capital Yerevan as well as smaller cities like Gyumri and Dilijan, there are new businesses, creative centers, designers and events that make this country an exciting place to be. I still hope to return to Russia someday to continue bringing crucial stories about the country where I spent three years of my life to the rest of the world. When violence broke out with Azerbaijan in September, the city was filled with makeshift stations collecting aid for Armenia’s troops, a reflection of how deeply Armenians care for each other and their country. The atmosphere here is different from that of Tbilisi, the capital of neighboring Georgia, where Ukrainian flags and anti-war messaging can be seen on nearly every street. But Russians and Armenians alike took to the streets of Yerevan last month to protest when President Vladimir Putin visited the city. Now that the dust has settled from our evacuation, The Moscow Times’ English service plans to set up a base in Prague alongside a few other independent Russian media outlets. Me (and cat) in Tbilisi Mount Ararat over Yerevan I still hope to return to Russia someday to continue bringing crucial stories about the country where I spent three years of my life to the rest of the world.  But as long as the situation stays the same, with strict laws banning war coverage that does not follow the Kremlin’s narrative, there’s little chance of that happening. Until then, my colleagues and I will continue producing the same rigorous journalism that we have been, despite the challenges of reporting from abroad.  And we hope that we will be able to count on your support to do so. The Moscow Times is completely independent and we rely on a mix of reader donations, grants and advertising revenue to cover our operating costs.  Any amount you can give will directly contribute to our reporting on Russia’s society, economy and war on Ukraine. We believe it’s an investment worth making. From myself and my colleagues, thank you for your support! Samantha Berkhead Senior Editor, The Moscow Times Donate to MT Samantha Berkhead is a journalist and editor from the United States. She joined The Moscow Times in 2019 and has since reported on everything from Russian women's issues to the Orthodox Church to the resurgent popularity of esoterics. In her spare time, she's writing a novel loosely based on Slavic folk tales. Articles by Samantha Berkhead