Russian newspaper editor, Dmitry Muratov who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, is publishing Friday’s edition in Ukrainian as a show of solidarity against Putin’s invasion. The editor-in-chief of Moscow-based newspaper Novaya Gazeta spoke defiantly of his “shame” for Russia’s ground invasion of Ukraine, saying Friday’s edition would be published in Ukrainian and Russian.
Muratov, who was recognized last year for fighting for freedom of expression, said that the unprovoked assault on Ukraine has effectively pushed Russia toward nuclear war and only a Russian anti-war movement could save the planet.
In a video posted to Novaya Gazeta‘s website and social media pages, Muratov said his team felt “grief” and “shame” over the unprovoked invasion. He said he feared that Putin was taking Russia towards a “nuclear salvo”.
Friday’s edition of his newspaper will be published in Russian and in Ukrainian, Muratov said, “because we do not recognize Ukraine as an enemy, or the Ukrainian language as the language of the enemy”.
His comments come after Russian ground forces invaded Ukraine from several directions, including occupied Crimea, and hours later broke into the Kyiv region. Meanwhile in Russia, hundreds of peaceful anti-war protestors have been arrested.
Russia was ranked 150th of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders’ 2021 World Press Freedom Index.
Scores of journalists working at several Russian outlets bravely signed an open letter on Thursday to condemn the invasion.
More than 100 municipal deputies from across Russia signed a similar letter, Novaya Gazeta reported.
