'They Can Kill Me': Defiant Russian Journalist Stays Back To Report On The War

A Russian journalist is ready to face the consequences of staying back in the country and reporting at a time when journalists have ceased to report from inside Russia.

Many journalists have left the country, and several liberal Russian media and Western-based broadcasters have brought their operations in Russia to a halt in light of the new anti-press law. As per the law, individuals can be put behind bars for up to 15 years for publishing information that contradicts Russia’s narrative about the situation in Ukraine.

Despite the censorship law that restricts journalists from putting out information to the public, journalist Yevgenia Albats has dared to stay back in Russia. She is “not afraid” of Vladimir Putin’s crackdown on the press even though 160 of the “best reporters” have left the country, Albats said, according to Business Insider.

"I'm not a martyr. But I feel like somebody has to do that," Albats told CNN's chief media correspondent Brian Stelter on Reliable Sources Sunday.

Under the new Russian law, using words like “war” and “invasion” can also lead to a 15-year prison sentence. These words are "fake news" for Russian lawmakers, who choose to call it a "special military operation" in Ukraine, USA TODAY reported.

The information that Albats posts on her YouTube channel can also go against the “fake news” law, Stelter said. But Albats stated she has to report carefully to avoid being put in prison.

The experienced journalist is already known to be critical of the government and has made her opinions public in books, articles and magazines. She even called Putin a "sick man with a sick mind" just last week.

In a recent interview with Amanpour and Company, Albats was asked about what she thinks is Putin’s endgame.

“We are dealing with a sick man with a sick mind," Albats said on the show. "And I think he has his own view of the world. And, in this world, he would like to leave a legacy of a guy who recreated… part of the soviet union."

While speaking with CNN, Albats said it is “too late” to be afraid about her decision to stay back in Russia to report.

Her words of resolution came on the same day an award-winning American journalist, Brent Renaud, was shot by Russian troops as he traveled to film refugees.

“They can kill me," Albats told CNN. "Nobody promised me that I am going to live forever."

Albats said she used to visit Ukraine often while growing up and this makes her ashamed of her country more than being afraid.

"I am ashamed that my taxes go into bombs that kill people in Ukraine," Albats told the publication. "...I want to get on my knees and say I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that my country is doing this to you guys."