Anna-Lena Laurén managed to work in Russia for 16 years, until her accreditation was no longer renewed.
FINNISH The joint Russia correspondent of Hufvudstadsbladet and Swedish Dagens Nyheter Anna-Lena Lauren’s the accreditation has not been renewed, which is why he has not been able to return after the summer holidays stationed in Moscow.
“Russia is currently at war and knows that it has made a mistake, which is why they don’t want any more journalists in the country,” Laurén tells HS by phone.
According to him, since the start of the Russian war of aggression, removing journalists from the country has become much easier. Media accreditations are valid for a maximum of three months, whereas before the war accreditation had to be renewed at least once a year.
“Unwanted suppliers can be easily kicked out when you don’t have to wait a whole year.”
Laurén plans to continue writing about Russia from Finland, and she plans to do even more story gigs in Ukraine.
Lauren’s says that he wrote a critical article about the Russian foreign minister in the spring About Sergei Lavrov. After the story was published, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote a story about Laurén questioning his professionalism.
“When an authority writes about a journalist under his own name, it cannot be treated with a shrug,” says Laurén.
He does not comment on whether this specific matter was the reason why his accreditation has not been renewed.
Many foreign journalists have already had to leave Russia, and Laurén believes that this will continue.
“Little by little, one after another leaves.”
How does this affect what we know will happen in Russia in the future?
Laurén believes that some journalists are allowed to be in the country in order to make the situation seem somehow normal.
“One thing is certain. Russia has always changed and is changing rapidly. And it happens when no one expects it. This is not optimism but realism,” he says.
Lauren’s is a rare journalist in that he has reported from both Russia and Ukraine during the Russian war of aggression.
However, he himself has not found it too risky.
“I couldn’t be in Russia without reporting on Ukraine. If you live under Russian propaganda all the time, it starts to affect your mind. In Russia, you have to actively remind yourself of what is really happening in the world,” says Laurén.
Lauren’s has worked in Russia for 16 years: from 2011 as a correspondent for Hufvudstadsbladet and from 2016 also for Dagens Nyheter.
He says that he treats Russia like an alcoholic.
“It is a sick country that has never faced its own actions. At the same time, it is a country with a lot of good things. I will always love the Russian language and culture,” says Laurén.
Hufvudstadsbladet editor-in-chief Kalle Silfverbergin I think it’s really sad that the development of Russia has been the way it has been in recent years and the country is sliding towards a dictatorship.
According to Silfverberg, it is important that Laurén continues to write about Russia from Finland.
“This situation also gives him the opportunity to focus on reporting on the lives of Ukrainians and the war of aggression against Russia,” says Silfverberg.
Acting Head of HS corresponding editor-in-chief Antero Mukka does not consider Laurén’s departure from Russia a big surprise, but it is a disappointment.
“Anna-Lena Laurén has played an important role as a window for Finns and Swedes to Russia,” says Mukka.
Helsingin Sanomat has its own correspondent in Moscow. According to Muka, the situation is closely monitored all the time, especially from the point of view of the correspondent’s safety.
“Our correspondent will continue his extremely important work as long as he can,” he says.
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