Dmitry Muratov, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist and former chief editor of the now-shuttered Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, has told the BBC that President Vladimir Putin can no longer claim victory in Ukraine.
In an interview published on the BBC News YouTube channel, Muratov described the current state of his former publication, whose printing presses were nationalised and registration revoked by presidential decree. The newspaper's website remains accessible only from abroad or via VPNs, reflecting a broader crackdown on independent media in Russia.
Muratov, who shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, said that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, at least 1,500 people have been imprisoned for speaking out against state policy. He compared this to the Soviet era, noting that the number exceeds the estimated 600 prisoners of conscience in the USSR in the 1980s.
Asked about Putin's repeated predictions of victory, Muratov said: "There will never be 'victory'... It cannot be a victory when two Slavic nations have ripped a million people to shreds." He added that while Ukraine could be destroyed, it could not be conquered, and warned of the possibility of nuclear escalation, citing more than 500 mentions of nuclear weapons use on Russian state media and at official events since the beginning of the year.
Muratov also dismissed speculation about splits within the Russian elite, saying the country is run by Putin, who is supported by the Federal Security Service (FSB). He criticised Western leaders for preaching human rights while continuing to trade with Russia, and highlighted the plight of political prisoners, including journalists, a city councillor, and a pianist who died in detention during a hunger strike.
Despite the risks, Muratov said he and his colleagues receive words of gratitude from people on the streets of Moscow, albeit whispered.
Source: BBC News
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