Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Agents Raid Home of Investigative Journalist

Roman Anine, 34, had previously worked for Novaya Gazeta. istories.media / Instagram

Russian security agents on Friday raided the home of the editor of an online investigative journal that recently published articles on the security services, his editorial team said.

Operatives of the FSB security agency searched the apartment of Roman Anin, his Vazhnye Istorii (iStories) investigative news website colleagues said.

They cited his lawyer saying that Anin was targeted in connection with inquiries into "violation of privacy by abusing his professional functions," an offense punishable by up to four years in prison.

He was due to go with his lawyers to talk to the committee in charge of criminal inquiries, according to media reports.

Anin, 34, had previously worked for Novaya Gazeta, the most reputable opposition newspaper in Russia.

Novaya Gazeta's editorial board said the case was linked to an investigation opened in 2016, following a publication by Anin suggesting that the wife of one of the most powerful men in the country, Igor Sechin, owned a yacht valued at $100 million.

The newspaper was found guilty of defamation after Sechin filed a complaint about the report.

"What is happening now to Roman Anin is a story of revenge," the paper said in a statement.

Created last year, iStories has most of its editorial staff based in Latvia with correspondents in Russia.

The website recently published articles on possible links between the FSB and organized crime, and others on torture in Russian prisons and surveillance of the imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more