Free Media Awards
2026
Verstka (Russia)
The independent online media outlet Verstka was established in April 2022 in response to the destruction of Russian media during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Based in Prague, Verstka is receiving a Free Media Award for being a credible first-hand source on the human costs of the war, militarisation and oppression, domestic and gender-based violence, and the persecution of LGBTQ+ communities.
Verstkas journalists frequently document what happens to those who oppose the war. Verstka reports on Russia without regard for censorship, pressure or manipulation. It has become one of the most widely cited independent Russian media outlets covering politics, society and culture. Russia blocked Verstka in June 2022, and editor-in-chief Lola Tagaeva was designated a ‘foreign agent’ in January 2024. Nevertheless, Verstka continues to report from the courts and the regions, using sources who face great personal risk.