Just after the two year anniversary of the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War, American Conservative commentator and writer Tucker Carlson became one the first western reporters to speak with the head of the Russian state. In a historic two-hour conversation, Vladimir Putin commanded the conversation during which he criticized the lack of western support for the Russian invasion.
The conversation was one part of a weeks-long trip Carlson took to the Russian capital. During their chat, Carlson defended Putin’s actions saying “every leader kills people.” His comments have since sparked outrage in the political and journalist communities.
Carlson, formerly the host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” was let go of his role at Fox News almost one year ago. After parting ways with the media giant, Carlson established his own media corporation, Tucker Carlson Network, which published the interview.
The Kremlin confirmed the interview arrangement, commending Carlson for his reporting which “speaks the truth.” Furthermore, he criticized Western media sources for being partisan on their coverage of the war, favoring Ukraine in their fight against Russian oppression.
Approximately one week after the conversation in Moscow, it was announced long term political prisoner Alexei Navalny had passed away in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug penal colony.
The 47-year-old dedicated his life to criticizing and opposing the Russian autocratic regime and, to some, made Carlson’s appearance all the more infuriating. Since the invasion, dozens of journalists have been jailed and killed for their attempts to document life in wartime Russia and Ukraine.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is also nearing an anniversary of his own. Since March 2023, he has been detained in Lefortovo prison on charges of espionage. He was working on an assignment in the country when he was arrested. The Wall Street Journal reported that he is the first American to be charged with the crime since the cold war.
As the war becomes increasingly crushing for the Ukrainian defense amid supply and troop shortages, Carlson’s interview comes at an opportunistic time for the Russian dictator. While Carlson wined and dined in Moscow’s finest restaurants, including a trip to the famous Bolshoi ballet, journalists like Navalny and Gershovich continued to fight for their lives under Russian oppression; a fight that cost the former his life.
In 2020, Navalny was found to have been poisoned by the Russian Federal Security Service with Novichock during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. The pilot was able to make an emergency landing where the former lawyer and political dissident was taken to a German hospital to recover.
Navalny’s story is one of many in the case of the Russian opposition. Despite the “clean” subway cars and quaint grocery stores Carlson’s investigation uncovered, Moscow remains a dangerous city for the journalist voice.
