The former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct radio outlet Echo of Moscow, Alexey Nakitov, who has been designated a foreign agent in Russia, has publicly discussed the possibility of leaving the country. In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Not Proust, Nakitov expressed a nuanced preference. He acknowledged that while freedom of movement is appealing, his deepest wish remains to live in Moscow, the Russian capital, and to make his life there rather than abroad. He suggested that travel could be extensive, but residence would ideally be rooted in Moscow, a city he described as home in his mindset and professional heart. [citation: contemporary reporting on Nakitov’s stance, attributed to Not Proust interview]
On March 1, 2022, Roskomnadzor restricted access to Echo of Moscow’s online properties. The administration cited the repeated publication of materials described as misinformation about a military operation in Ukraine as the basis for the intervention. As a result, the board of directors of ZAO Echo of Moscow decided to liquidate the station. In the wake of the closure, the frequency that had once carried Echo of Moscow now broadcasts Sputnik radio, a channel operated by the Rossiya Segodnya news agency. [citation: Roskomnadzor actions and the subsequent liquidation, attributed to official communications]
Later, on April 22, 2022, the Ministry of Justice added Alexey Venicetov to the register of foreign media agents. The move underscored the continuing shift in how media figures connected to Echo of Moscow are treated by state authorities. In the same wave of regulatory actions, the government also evaluated other personnel associated with the outlet, signaling broader scrutiny of individuals tied to independent journalism under the foreign agents framework. [citation: government registry updates and official statements, attributed to ministry records]
Earlier episodes tied to the station also included public responses to controversial remarks. In one incident, a figure connected to the Echo ecosystem faced backlash for a joke deemed anti-Semitic. The episode highlighted ongoing tensions around media rhetoric and the political climate in which the station operated. These developments collectively illustrate the pressures faced by journalists who pursued independent coverage in an environment where government policy and public sentiment often intersect in complex ways. [citation: reporting on public reactions and policy responses, attributed to contemporary media accounts]