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November 22, 2025 – Russia/Ukraine –
Elena Kostyuchenko reflects on a career forged amid repression and the war in Ukraine, articulating a fearless stance: “If I weren’t afraid of Vladimir Putin, I wouldn’t be afraid of Donald Trump.”
Kostyuchenko, born in Yaroslavl and long a reporter for Novaya Gazeta, fled Russia in 2022 after receiving threats that her life was in danger. In Germany, she was later poisoned with an unidentified substance, an attack that still affects her health.
Now based in exile and teaching at Duke University, she has published a book titled I Love Russia – Reporting from a Lost Country, which chronicles her reporting on the rise of authoritarianism in Russia.
When asked about similarities between Putin and Trump, Kostyuchenko observes that the U.S. is moving in ways reminiscent of Moscow in 2012, when mass protests erupted and democratic institutions tightened. She argues that while the American system is still functioning, trends toward polarisation and suppression of dissent are increasingly familiar.
Her comment is part of a wider reflection on the role of journalism and its moral imperative in times of crisis. She insists that the duty of a journalist transcends professional identity—it becomes a civic calling when rights are under threat.
Kostyuchenko also reports on the personal cost of exile. She cannot return to Russia, and her family remains there under threat. Her survival from the poisoning has left lingering trauma, yet she continues to write, teach, and travel—holding fast to the belief that reporting truth remains a vital act of resistance.
The journalist’s story is a sobering reminder of the risks faced by those who challenge power. Her voice bridges past and present, drawing connections between repression in Russia and emerging vulnerabilities in other democracies. Through her experience, she highlights the urgency of safeguarding a free press across borders and systems.
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