How a small Moscow newspaper defeated state censors and became a global target
In short: Founded in 1992 to serve Western expats, The Moscow Times evolved from a print daily into an independent digital voice. It famously outmaneuvered 1993 censors by publishing suppressed articles in English, only for them to be broadcast back into Russia. Today, it operates from Amsterdam as an undesirable organization.
Derk Sauer, a Dutch publisher, launched The Moscow Times in March 1992 to reach the influx of Westerners arriving in Russia after the Soviet Union's collapse. Operating out of the Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel, it became the first Western daily in the country. By the mid-1990s, it had established a reputation as a primary source of news, even occupying the former headquarters of the state newspaper Pravda.
The publication's influence was cemented during the 1993 constitutional crisis. When anti-Yeltsin forces seized the Russian Parliament and imposed censorship, local papers appeared with blank spaces where critical reports had been excised. The Moscow Times published these suppressed stories in English, allowing the BBC and other international outlets to beam the content back into Russia, effectively bypassing the state's information blockade.
Over the decades, the paper expanded into specialized guides and conferences, while navigating a volatile media landscape. Ownership shifted from the Finnish group Sanoma to a structure designed to comply with Russian laws limiting foreign media control. However, pressure intensified following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. After moving its editorial operations to Amsterdam, the paper faced a series of escalating state actions, including website blocks, a 'foreign agent' designation in 2023, and finally being declared an 'undesirable organization' in 2024.
This final designation carries severe consequences, as interacting with the publication can now lead to criminal prosecution within Russia. Despite domain seizures and constant digital interference, the editorial team continues to operate via alternative subdomains. The paper remains a significant case study in the survival of independent journalism under extreme state pressure, having transformed from a niche business publication into a critical, albeit exiled, observer of Russian affairs.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Moscow Times
- Also: Wikidata — The Moscow Times · CC0
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