The BBC has included Russian feminist poet and activist Daria Serenko and firefighter Sofia Kosacheva in its 2023 list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world that was revealed on Tuesday.
Daria Serenko is a feminist thinker and the author of two books of feminist and anti-war prose. She is also among the coordinators of Feminist Anti-War Resistance, one of Russia’s largest movements opposing the Kremlin’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
“Thank you to all of you who help me make things possible. It is you who are ‘inspiring and influential.’ And all lists are relative (though I am still flattered, of course),” Serenko wrote on her Instagram.
Sofia Kosacheva is a forest firefighter and the founder of a professional community dedicated to training volunteers to combat Russia’s ever-worsening wildfire problem.
To aid her work, Kosacheva has also created a Russian-language online database with information on preventing and controlling wildfires.
Serenko, who was branded a “foreign agent” by the Kremlin, and Kosacheva, a former collaborator with the now-banned environmental NGO Greenpeace Russia, are the only Russian women to appear on the list.
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.
