ULYANOVSK, RUSSIA — In a striking example of Russia’s tightening control over independent media, Russian authorities raided the home of the mother of exiled journalist Anastasia Chumakova, the U.S.-based founder of the independent news outlet Astra. The raid on Anastasia Chumakova’s mother’s home underscores the Kremlin’s widening crackdown on journalists, particularly those critical of Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
FSB Leads Raid Linked to “False Information” Charges
According to reports from Astra, Russian security forces, including FSB agents, police, and investigators, stormed the apartment of Chumakova’s 61-year-old mother in Russia’s Ulyanovsk region early Friday morning.
Authorities claim the search is part of a criminal case accusing Anastasia Chumakova of “spreading false information about the Russian military,” a charge under Article 207.3 of Russia’s Criminal Code. The offense carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison under the country’s wartime censorship laws.
During the operation, agents seized personal electronic devices, reviewed private messages, and questioned Chumakova’s mother as a witness — despite her daughter having neither lived nor been registered at the residence for over a decade.
Who Is Anastasia Chumakova and What Is Astra?
Anastasia Chumakova, now based in the United States, is the founder and editor-in-chief of Astra, an independent Russian media outlet launched in February 2022, shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Astra quickly gained recognition for its unfiltered coverage of the war, human rights abuses, and domestic dissent — in stark contrast to Russia’s state-controlled media. The publication relies on a network of anonymous correspondents and citizen journalists inside Russia, who risk prosecution under the Kremlin’s censorship laws.
Chumakova previously worked as a New York correspondent for RTVI, a Russian-language television network, before founding Astra as a platform for investigative reporting and truth-telling during wartime.
Designated a “Foreign Agent”
In October 2024, the Russian Justice Ministry officially labeled Astra a “foreign agent”, accusing the outlet of “spreading inaccurate information” and “discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.”
This designation subjects Astra and its contributors to strict reporting requirements, public disclaimers, and financial scrutiny. It also exposes them to harassment and criminal charges under Russia’s expanding “foreign agent” legislation.
Earlier in 2025, a local court fined Chumakova 35,000 rubles (around $430) for failing to register herself as the head of a “foreign agent” organization.
Exile and Survival Abroad
Since fleeing Russia, Anastasia Chumakova has shared her experiences living in exile. In interviews, she described her early months abroad as a period of intense hardship — living in a tent in a tropical country, relying on rainwater and solar power while continuing to manage Astra remotely.
Despite the challenges, she maintained Astra’s operations, coordinating a dispersed team of reporters and volunteers who document Russia’s ongoing war crimes, corruption, and domestic repression.
Kremlin’s Broader Crackdown on Independent Media
The raid on Anastasia Chumakova’s mother’s home is the latest in a string of actions targeting the families of exiled Russian journalists. Authorities have increasingly turned to intimidation tactics, detaining or questioning relatives of reporters who publish abroad.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, over 1,500 media professionals have fled the country. Outlets such as Meduza, Novaya Gazeta Europe, and The Insider have been branded “undesirable organizations,” and dozens of journalists have been sentenced in absentia for “spreading disinformation.”
Human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Human Rights Watch, have condemned Russia’s actions, calling them an attempt to “export repression” beyond its borders.
“The raid against Chumakova’s family is an attempt to silence independent journalism by proxy,” said Tatiana Moskalkova, a Russian media rights advocate. “Targeting relatives is one of the most insidious forms of pressure.”
Growing International Concern
Western governments have also voiced concern. The U.S. State Department called the incident “an alarming escalation of Russia’s campaign against independent voices.” Meanwhile, the European Union’s External Action Service warned that such raids “further isolate Russia and erode its international credibility.”
Despite the pressure, Astra continues to operate, publishing investigations and daily war updates via encrypted platforms and social media. Chumakova vowed that her outlet “will not be silenced,” emphasizing that truth-telling “is the strongest act of resistance.”
For more updates, visit the Russia News Section.
Source
The Moscow Times – Russian Police Search Home of US-Based Independent Media Founder’s Mother