Imagine living in a place where the news you trust has been systematically silenced, where every television channel and website seems to repeat the same official distortions, and where simply seeking an independent perspective can feel like an act of defiance. This is the daily reality for millions of Russian speakers in Russia, Belarus, and the occupied territories of Ukraine. In 2024, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched the Svoboda satellite package as a direct response to this crisis, a bold and innovative tool designed to pierce the information blockade imposed by the Kremlin. The word “svoboda” means “freedom” in Russian, and that is precisely what the project aims to deliver: free access to reliable journalism. Today, around fifteen Russian-language channels are beamed into approximately 4.5 million households across Russia and Belarus, as well as 800,000 households in the occupied territories of Ukraine. The genius of satellite technology lies in its resilience. Unlike online content, which can be blocked, throttled, or erased with a few keystrokes by state authorities, satellite signals are extraordinarily difficult to jam or censor. They can even survive complete internet shutdowns, ensuring that a vital thread of truth remains available to people who might otherwise be cut off from the world. In an era of sophisticated digital repression, this makes satellite broadcasting one of the most powerful and dependable lifelines for independent information in authoritarian environments.
The growing appeal of the Svoboda package is not just anecdotal; it is backed by compelling statistics that reveal a deep hunger for truthful reporting. According to recent estimates from the Svoboda team, viewing sessions have increased by approximately 58% between April 2026 and the projected end of September 2026. That is a remarkable surge in engagement, especially in a media landscape where attention is fragmented and trust is hard to earn. Even more impressive is the average viewing time: 51 minutes per session. In an age of scrolling and skimming, an audience choosing to spend nearly an hour with independent journalism demonstrates a profound need for substance, context, and understanding. A study conducted by the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in June 2026 estimated that the Svoboda package reaches a total monthly audience of between 905,300 and 1,810,600 viewers—and crucially, this estimate excludes viewers in Russia and Belarus. In Russia itself, independent media consumption persists against enormous odds. A 2025 study by the JX Fund, a partner of RSF, found that an estimated 6% to 9% of Russian adults—roughly 6 to 10 million people—continue to seek out independent journalism. These numbers may seem small in a country of over 140 million, but they represent a resilient and courageous minority. The Svoboda satellite package plays an essential role in nurturing this audience, expanding their access to reliable reporting, and reminding them that they are not alone in their search for truth. Every additional viewer is a small victory against the machinery of propaganda, a human being reclaiming their right to know.
Yet this remarkable lifeline is now at a precarious crossroads. The Svoboda satellite package has been primarily supported by the European Union’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT), but this funding is scheduled to terminate at the end of October 2026. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. This is not merely a matter of budget lines and administrative deadlines; it is a question of whether millions of people will continue to have access to independent news, or whether they will be left once again in the dark. The project has proven its worth, its resilience, and its growing audience. It has become a cornerstone of the EU’s efforts to counter Kremlin propaganda, a practical and effective response to a relentless information war that shows no signs of abating. To allow this funding to lapse would be to hand a victory to those who seek to control the narrative, to silence dissent, and to erode the very idea of objective truth. Continued financing is not just a technical necessity; it is a moral and strategic imperative. The EU has the opportunity to demonstrate that its commitment to press freedom is more than rhetoric, that it is willing to invest in the tools that make freedom real. The decision made in the coming months will send a powerful signal—either that Europe stands firmly behind independent journalism, or that it is willing to abandon the field when the battle becomes difficult.
Nowhere is the value of Svoboda more evident than among the journalists and outlets that produce its content. Alongside the official conference, the satellite package’s content providers—Belsat, Current Time, Radio Echo, Maxim Katz, Belarus Tomorrow, EQTV, RFI, TV8, and New Puppets—gathered for the first time in a workshop. This meeting was more than a routine networking event; it was a gathering of people who have risked everything to tell the truth. These outlets represent a diverse range of voices, from established broadcasters to independent digital projects, but they share a common mission: to counter Kremlin propaganda and reach Russian-speaking audiences with accurate, uncensored information. The workshop showcased their expertise in developing innovative techniques to break through the noise of state media, to engage skeptical viewers, and to build trust in an environment where trust has been systematically destroyed. But perhaps more importantly, the meeting cemented their shared belief that the satellite package is not a luxury or an experiment; it is crucial to their work. For many of these outlets, Svoboda is the difference between being heard and being silenced, between reaching millions and reaching almost no one. Their unanimous message was clear: the funding must continue. These are not abstract beneficiaries of an EU grant; they are journalists on the front lines of an information war, and they are asking for the resources to keep fighting. Their determination, creativity, and resilience are an inspiration, but they cannot succeed without the structural support that makes their work possible.
Behind these statistics and initiatives are real people, and their stories are essential to understanding what is at stake. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 Russian journalists have fled to the European Union. Since the crackdown in Belarus in 2020, more than 500 Belarusian news professionals have followed a similar path. These are not people who left willingly; they were driven out by threats, arrests, and the fear of persecution. Many of them are financially unstable, living in precarious conditions, and still terrorized by transnational repression that can reach across borders. They have lost their homes, their careers, and in many cases their sense of safety, but they have not lost their commitment to journalism. Exiled journalists are one of the best lines of defense against Russian propaganda and disinformation. They know the languages, the cultures, and the techniques of the Kremlin’s media machine. They understand how to reach audiences that have been fed a diet of lies for years. And their determination is paying off. By leveraging censorship and circumvention tools—such as RSF’s Svoboda satellite package and the mirror site operation Collateral Freedom—exiled Russian and Belarusian outlets are often able to reach significant portions of their original audiences. The outlets supported by these initiatives, along with sustainability programmes like the JX Fund, provide rare and vital insight into internal developments in Russia and Lukashenko’s Belarus. They are windows into closed societies, sources of hope for those who still believe in truth, and early warning systems for the rest of Europe.
For the European Union, supporting exiled journalists—especially those from Russia and Belarus—is not just a humanitarian obligation. It is a vital strategic necessity in an era of global information warfare. The Kremlin has made no secret of its desire to undermine European democracies, sow division, and rewrite history. The fight against this threat cannot be won with tanks or sanctions alone; it must also be won in the realm of information, where narratives are shaped and loyalties are formed. Exiled journalists are uniquely positioned to fight this battle, but they cannot do it without a safe and operational haven. The EU and its member states must fully recognize their responsibility to guarantee such a haven—not only as a refuge from physical danger, but as a base from which independent journalism can flourish. This means providing sustainable funding, legal protection, and the tools needed to reach audiences behind authoritarian borders. It means treating press freedom not as an abstract value but as a concrete strategic asset. The future of democracy in Russia, the security of the entire European continent, and the credibility of the EU’s commitment to human rights all depend on this support. The Svoboda satellite package is a shining example of what is possible when political will meets innovation. It has already changed the information landscape, giving millions of people access to truth. But its future is uncertain, and the time to act is now. Europe must choose whether to nurture this fragile flame or let it be extinguished by neglect. The choice will echo far beyond the borders of the EU, in the hearts and minds of people who still believe that the truth can set them free.