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Two recent incidents have highlighted signs of a wider media crackdown in Russia.

1. Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of “Moscow Echo,” the capital’s influential news and talk radio station, was ousted from the station’s board of directors. They were replaced by new directors chosen by Gazprom Media, a subsidiary of a large state-owned gas company that holds the major share in “Moscow Echo.” The show has a reputation for airing a large range of opinions, for which has previously drawn flack from Putin.
2. Second, French writer/reporter Anne Nivat was expelled from Russia for an alleged problem with her visa. Speaking from France, however, she said that officials told her that the real reason for her expulsion was that she interviewed members of the opposition party. During their conversation, Nivat said that the officials were able to name specific addresses of the people whom she had interviewed. This kind of surveillance, Nivat claimed, had been common in Soviet times, but was not something she had ever encountered in ten years of working in post-Soviet Russia.

Why now?

Putin is running in next month’s race for Prime Minister. A recent poll by Russia’s Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) has predicted that he will win, capturing 58.6% of the vote.

His closest opponent is Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, who’s polling at 14.8%. Despite his clear margin, Putin is still facing the largest opposition that he’s seen during his 12 years in power. The real fear in Putin’s camp is not that he will lose the race, but that in winning, he’ll capture less than 50% of the vote.

Protests in Russia

December marked huge protests in Moscow following the Parliamentary Elections on the 4th. Police estimated the crowd to be about 25,000 people, who protested against the election results, perceived as rigged. In response to the unrest, President Medvedev introduced sweeping political reforms. 

You can track all Morning Snooze Button coverage about Russia here.

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