Russian Service
Radio Svoboda is a multi-platform alternative to state-controlled media, providing audiences in Russia and abroad with informed and accurate news and analysis.
Website page views
(January–December 2023)
Facebook video views
(January–December 2023)
YouTube video views
(January–December 2023)
Instagram video views
(January–December 2023)
About the Service
Launched in 1953, RFE/RL’s Russian Service, known locally as Radio Svoboda, is acclaimed for its unbiased and independent reporting.
Forced to close its Moscow bureau in 2022, the Service operates from Riga and Prague, with some relocated journalists working from RFE/RL’s Tbilisi bureau.
In 2023, usage of Radio Svoboda was highest among young Russian adults: 7.9% of those 15-24 use it weekly
Radio Svoboda provides critically acclaimed investigative reporting on the full-scale Ukraine invasion.
The Service’s coverage of local reactions to the Kremlin’s “partial mobilization” and Ukraine’s counteroffensive drove significant traffic spikes.
Journalists document changing Russian attitudes toward the war in Ukraine, and how war affects the daily lives of Russians.
Following the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in August 2023, Radio Svoboda covered the evolution of Wagner Group operations in Africa.
Radio Svoboda reports on Russian political dissidents and democratic forces working to promote civil society in Russia, public corruption, and illegal businesses in Russian political spheres.
Popular podcasts such as Time of Liberty and You Have the Right discuss contemporary political issues and human rights, reaching a Russian-language audio market and sparking social media discussions.
Reaching Audiences
Media Climate
Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index ranks Russia 162nd out of 180 countries.
RFE/RL Tatar-Bashkir Service journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was detained in Russia on false charges in October 2023. She was released in August 2024 after being wrongfully detained for over nine months.
Radio Svoboda journalist Nika Novak was detained on December 25, 2023, in the Siberian city of Chita on unjust charges. In November 2024, a Chita court convicted Nika and sentenced her to four years in prison.
RFE/RL was forced to close its Moscow bureau in 2022 after $17 million in fines were levied for failure to comply with “foreign agent” labeling requirements.
In February 2024, RFE/RL was designated an “undesirable organization” by Russian authorities. Russian citizens face up to five years in prison for cooperating with “undesirable” organizations or aiding in their financing within Russia.
Latest Updates
Statement from the RFE/RL Board of Directors on the Release of Alsu Kurmasheva
The Board of Directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty welcomes home RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva following her release from unjust detention in the Russian Federation.
American RFE/RL Reporter Alsu Kurmasheva Released from Russian Custody
RFE/RL welcomes news of Alsu’s release and is grateful to the American government and all who worked tirelessly to end her unjust treatment by Russia.
American RFE/RL Reporter Alsu Kurmasheva Tried & Convicted in Russian Court
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) called the ruling by a Russian court “a mockery of justice.”
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