INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Several independent Russian media outlets are embroiled in a scandal surrounding revelations that a freelance reporter supplemented her
reporting with fabricated details in dozens of different stories they published.The journalist, who wrote under the pseudonym Asiya
service, IStories and Holod
Much of her work focused on the stories of Russian soldiers and the war in Ukraine
Following the reports of fabrication, some of the affected news outlets issued apologies and announced that they planned to improve their
fact-checking standards.Russian journalist Oleg Kashin appears to have been the first to publicly accuse Nesoevaya of falsifying
they had carried out additional fact-checks.Nesoevaya has since made conflicting statements about the allegations
certain outlets for publication
In the same RTVI interview, Nesoevaya acknowledged the possibility of facing criminal charges for working with media organizations labeled
elaborate on her motivations, citing a wave of online harassment she has faced in recent days.The ensuing media frenzy over the fabrication
scandal could leave a blemish on the reputation of independent news publications already struggling with Russian government censorship and
the difficulties of operating in exile, as well as waning interest among audiences who have grown increasingly tired of news mostly focused
articles it published last year and found fabricated information in a piece about deceased Russian soldiers
one of which was found to contain falsifications
fact-check and was independently verified by Mediazona and other outlets
Meduza did not respond to a request for comment.Holod reported that Nesoevaya, a 21-year-old freelancer based in the republic of Tatarstan,
consequences here [in Russia]
when we declined to publish her stories after they failed fact-checking
bright side, this is a great opportunity to review editorial standards
