Four years ago, Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine. At the same time as the military attack, Russia significantly intensified its repression of independent media. Journalists were criminalised, newsrooms banned, and websites blocked. Many media professionals were forced to continue their work from exile – often under uncertain legal, financial and personal conditions. In doing so, they followed the path already taken by colleagues from Belarus and other authoritarian states. This prompted Reporters Without Borders, the Rudolf Augstein Foundation and the Schöpflin Foundation to establish the non-profit organisation JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile just a few months later.

The fund’s aim is to enable independent journalism even in regions where it is systematically suppressed. Attacks on free journalism are always attacks on the foundations of democratic societies. Exile media keep information spaces open that authoritarian regimes deliberately attempt to close – both for people in the countries of origin and for the international public. Their relevance therefore extends far beyond national borders. Exile newsrooms provide insights into political and social developments that are otherwise increasingly difficult to access from the outside. While traditional correspondents often no longer have direct access, exile journalists continue to work with reliable contacts and sources in their home countries, providing context and analysis that complements and deepens international reporting.
 

Stability, networks and sustainability

In the first phase of the JX Fund, the focus was primarily on ensuring the immediate ability of exiled media professionals to work. Newsrooms needed equipment and production spaces and required support in understanding the legal frameworks in their new locations – in other words, the basic conditions media organisations need in order to function at all.

Over the past four years, the JX Fund has awarded 180 grants to exile media, whose journalists work from more than 25 different countries. In addition, the JX Fund team publishes analyses and studies that highlight the conditions under which exile journalists operate and the structural obstacles shaping their work. In this way, the fund acts not only operationally but also strategically and on a knowledge-based level.

Today, the focus lies on the long-term stabilisation of exile media. Alongside financial support, the fund increasingly promotes organisational development, business model advice, digital security and international networking. The aim is to support exile media during a transitional phase so that they can build viable structures – both in the production and distribution of content and in developing sustainable financing models. While the fund cannot provide permanent funding over decades, it can help media organisations on their path towards greater independence.
 

How exile media reach their audiences

Despite massive censorship and technical blockades, many exile media outlets continue to reach their audiences – including within authoritarian states. Newsrooms such as »Meduza« or »TV Rain« achieve reach figures of several million users. Exile media respond to state interference with a high degree of adaptability: they change platforms, use mirror servers, messenger services and social networks, develop new distribution channels and continuously adapt their strategies to tightening censorship measures. One Russian exile newsroom describes:

»The core audience in Russia remains … everything is read via VPNs, mirrors, and Telegram instant-view. Readership grows year by year, albeit modestly. The secret? Gripping stories without counter-propaganda or moral superiority.«

According to current estimates by the JX Fund, between 6.7 and 9.6 percent of the Russian population use content from Russian-language exile media. Despite the hostile environment, Russian exile media significantly expanded their reach last year on Instagram (+108%), TikTok (+90%) and YouTube (+11%).
 

Russian exile media under increasing pressure

At the same time, the situation for Russian media remains particularly tense. Many newsrooms face ongoing financial uncertainty, legal risks and considerable psychological pressure. The classification of the JX Fund as an »undesirable organisation« by Russian authorities in October 2025 marked another escalation. As a result, all activities of the fund in Russia are prohibited; entering into cooperation or funding relationships – or even sharing content produced by the JX Fund – can have legal consequences for Russian citizens.

Reporting from within Russia itself also involves substantial risks. One newsroom describes:

»Inside Russia, reporters risk persecution, arrests, and prison terms… safety protocols have become critically important. Enhanced digital hygiene, local lawyers, and security escorts sharply increase costs. Reporting from Russia has become harder and more expensive, but we manage.«

Working in exile does not guarantee complete protection either. Russian authorities repeatedly prosecute journalists abroad in absentia, place them on wanted lists or classify their outlets as »extremist«. Surveillance and intimidation attempts at new places of residence, as well as pressure on family members in Russia, further complicate the situation. As a result, many newsrooms have significantly tightened their security precautions.

At the beginning of March 2026, a new law is also expected to come into force in Russia that would allow state authorities to centrally control, filter or, in extreme cases, disconnect the country’s internet from the global network. For exile newsrooms, this could make reporting from Russia even more difficult.

In addition, the economic situation of many exile editorial teams continues to deteriorate. One journalist explains:

»The advertising model is not viable; subscriptions are not viable; grants are risky; donations are risky. Only combinations of these models work… and even those outlets that have managed to combine them are still cutting staff and reducing activities.«

Despite these conditions, the demand for independent reporting in Russia remains high. Many people still know how to find and consume media labelled as »undesirable« or »foreign agents«. At the same time, the difficult circumstances, the constant pressure and the desire to reach audiences back home have fostered a new level of resilience and innovation, says Maral Jekta, Managing Director of the JX Fund:

»The situation today is defined by a tension between increasing repression on the one hand and growing professionalism, innovation and adaptability on the other. This very tension characterises the state of Russian exile media in 2026.«
 

Resilience and democratic responsibility

The JX Fund is increasingly focusing on sustainability and resilience. The goal is not only to stabilise exile journalism in the short term but to ensure that it remains viable in the long run – through reliable structures, entrepreneurial perspectives and secure working conditions. To this end, the fund is placing greater emphasis on media entrepreneurship. It supports editorial teams in testing new revenue streams such as subscriptions, memberships or digital tools and in developing alternative financing strategies. In this context, entrepreneurship does not mean maximising profits but safeguarding publication under pressure – through clearer audience focus, better product decisions and diversified revenue sources that reduce dependency on traditional grants.

At the same time, the JX Fund invests through its financial support in technological innovation and security, including secure technical solutions, AI-supported workflows, decentralised platforms and stable distribution channels. The aim is to ensure that exile newsrooms can continue reaching their core audiences in their countries of origin and mitigate censorship and blockades. This work is supported by data-driven research and needs analysis: country profiles, reach measurements and structural mapping help identify gaps in media coverage and enable evidence-based funding decisions.

Four years after its founding, the JX Fund has become a key actor for journalism in exile in Europe – and a visible sign against the systematic erosion of democratic public discourse in authoritarian states.