Russian journalist Anna Korobkova claims that she has written 1,397 reports denouncing compatriots who criticize the war in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022. According to the BBC, Korobkova feels joy when those she accuses are punished for her denunciations.
New censorship laws were introduced following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Korobkova often reports people for “discrediting the Russian military,” an offense punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 rubles ($560) or up to five years in prison if committed more than twice. Since then, according to the independent Russian human rights group OVD-Info, over 8,000 cases have been opened against individuals accused of discrediting the Russian army.
Korobkova mainly targets media personalities, especially those who appear in international media like the BBC. One of her targets is anthropologist Aleksandra Arkhipova, who reported on her seven times. Arkhipova considers reporting as her mission and says that Korobkova’s actions effectively silenced experts like herself. Arkhipova is now in exile and believes that Korobkova’s actions may have contributed to her being labeled a foreign agent by the Russian state in May.
Korobkova hides the Russian city she lives in and says she will continue to write accusations against her compatriots. “I have a lot of work,” she told the BBC journalist. Despite criticism from some quarters, Korobkova remains unapologetic about her role as a whistleblower and says she feels no remorse for those she has accused.
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/BB2LSDRPXJKOPH5XWNWVQPTMUI.jpg)
