Today marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Anna Politkovskaya, a renowned Russian journalist who was gunned down outside her Moscow home on October 7, 2006. Her editor, Sergei Sokolov, has said that Politkovskaya had predicted Russia's trajectory under President Vladimir Putin, warning of his authoritarian tendencies at a time when he was being welcomed and courted in the West. Politkovskaya had fearlessly reported on the war in Chechnya and the rise of Putin.
Politkovskaya's killing marked a turning point for Russian journalism, with many reporters facing pressure and censorship from the Kremlin. Two decades on, Putin is still in power, and Moscow's war against Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of thousands, is in its fifth year. Domestic repression has reached levels not seen since the Soviet era. Sokolov said that everything that is happening in Russia was predicted by Politkovskaya in the books she published before her death.
At the time of her reporting, Politkovskaya warned that Russian journalists would have to show "total servility to Putin" or face death or prison. She said that Russia was "hurling back into a Soviet abyss." Her warnings fell on deaf ears, and she was eventually assassinated in the lift of her central Moscow apartment block on October 7, 2006 – Putin's 54th birthday.
The gunmen behind her murder are in prison, but the person or people who ordered the killing have never been named. In 2021, Putin said his agencies "did everything to uncover these crimes." Despite the lack of accountability, Politkovskaya has become an even more totemic figure for Russian journalists, inspiring a generation of investigative reporters who she never met and who are now forced to work in exile.
With Russia at war in Ukraine, Politkovskaya's reporting from both sides of the front line in the Chechen wars has taken on fresh relevance. She covered war crimes committed by both the Russian army and Chechen rebels and pushed both to evacuate civilians. In 2002, she walked into a Moscow theatre that had been seized by Chechen rebels to try to secure the release of hostages.
Politkovskaya's tenacity and bravery in the face of danger have made her an icon for independent Russian journalists. Her editor, Sokolov, recalled that "what stood out in her was her tenacity – nothing could make her stray from the topic or idea she had." If Politkovskaya were alive today, Sokolov was certain that "she would definitely not be able to stay silent" in the face of Kremlin pressure and censorship.
Despite her name being virtually erased in Russia's official narrative, Politkovskaya remains an inspiration for many young journalists. Exiled reporter Yegor Feoktistov said that her fate serves as a reminder of the dangers of the profession, but also gives courage to those who continue to report on Russia. Many young journalists, including Olga Churakova, cite Politkovskaya as their inspiration and say that someone needs to do this job despite the risks.
Key points
- Anna Politkovskaya had predicted Russia's trajectory under Putin, warning of his authoritarian tendencies.
- Politkovskaya's killing marked a turning point for Russian journalism, with many reporters facing pressure and censorship from the Kremlin.
- Despite her death, Politkovskaya remains an icon for independent Russian journalists and an inspiration for a new generation of reporters.
