Unidentified assailants have attacked and beaten the St. Petersburg activist and journalist Alexander Kholodov, his employer Fontanka news portal reported Tuesday.
Kholodov was hospitalized with a broken nose, concussion and bruises, the report said.
The journalist — who hosts the “Fontanka.Office” webcast and is also known as an activist for car drivers' rights ?€” said two men attacked him when he was exiting an elevator in his apartment building in the early hours of Tuesday.
The attackers did not say anything while beating him, and did not steal anything, Kholodov said, Fontanka reported.
Kholodov ?€” who chairs St. Petersburg's Committee for Motorist Rights and also serves as deputy chief of a public panel for advising the city's Interior Ministry branch ?€” linked the attack with his activism, the report said.
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.