Liberal Russian journalist Mikhail Fishman was appointed editor-in-chief of English-language paper The Moscow Times on Thursday, the newspaper’s owner Demyan Kudryavtsev said.
“He is a decent, well-known and well-connected person,” Kudryavtsev, who bought the paper earlier this year, said in e-mailed comments to The Moscow Times.
The appointment of Fishman comes less than three weeks after former editor-in-chief, and veteran The Moscow Times reporter, Nabi Abdullaev, resigned because of what he said were “differences” with Kudryavtsev.
Prominent journalist Fishman was the editor-in-chief of Russian Newsweek when it was shut down — reportedly because of financial losses — five years ago. He has since hosted his own show on liberal television station Dozhd and is an editor at Internet news site Slon.ru.
First published as a daily paper in 1992, The Moscow Times switched to a new, 16-page weekly format this week.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.