In the spring of 2021, Meduza, the independent Russian news organisation, was officially designated a ‘foreign agent’ as part of a broader crackdown on the press. As a result, Meduza is operating under intensified scrutiny at a time when the Kremlin is eager to quash almost any form of dissent. Alexey Kovalev, one of Russia’s best investigative journalists, will explain what reporting as a ‘foreign agent’ entails, and how it affects his work.
Alexey Kovalev is head of the investigations desk at Meduza, a Russian- and English-language news outlet based in Riga. He was previously editor-in-chief of the Russian news websites Coda Story Russia and inoSMI.ru and a reporter with the Moscow Times and Snob. Kovalev holds degrees in journalism and Slavic studies from City, University of London, and Moscow State University, respectively.