Journalist Ekaterina ParaPash describes her horrific escape from Russia

When journalist Ekaterina BArabash started planning to escape from Russia, she could not endure eternity without saying goodbye to her elderly mother.

“I had to tell her before my hierarchy. It was the only one,” said Parappach, 63. As it happens Nil Kӧksal host.

“I was sure that I calmed it up, and I thought she would cry. But everything happened on the contrary. I was crying, and my mother was calming me.”

ParaPash, a former contributor to Radio France, who later worked with the Republic of the Independent Port, was in the House of Representatives and is facing prison for speaking against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when it decided to run for that.

Now, it has become safe in Paris after a secret haven that was organized with the help of reporters without borders, also known for its French, RSF.

She is one of the many Russian journalists and activists who have escaped from the country since 2022, when the government inspired the public expression that challenged its official novel about its war in Ukraine.

“Her escape was one of the most risky operations in which RSF has participated since the Drakoni Russia laws in March 2022,” Thebut Brotin, RSF director, said on Monday during a press conference with ParaPash at the Group Group headquarters.

“At some point, we thought it might be dead.”

“I am a journalist, and I must say the truth.”

When Russia launched a large -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it claimed that it was trying to liberate and “remove” the country.

It was not bought by Parabbash.

She said, “I understood that I could not silence.” “I am a journalist, and I have to say the truth.”

Its motive was as professional. The son and granddaughter of Parappash lives in the Ukrainian capital in Kyiv. She was born herself in Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine.

“When you imagine how missiles, bombs … (can) attack your son’s house, you cannot remain silent.” “It is painful, and your heart will break.”

Over the next two years, I have written many Facebook posts that criticize the invasion.

“So you (obscene) meant the country, destroyed the entire cities on the ground, killed a hundred children, opened fire on civilians for no reason, banned the mariolpol, deprived millions of people of a normal life and forced them to leave for foreign countries?” One job read. “Everything for friendship with Ukraine?”

In February this year, Russian authorities arrested Parappach upon their return from the Berlin International Film Festival.

She was accused of publishing false information about the Russian army, describing a foreign agent and placed in the House of Representatives awaiting trial. She faced a prison sentence from five to 10 years.

She says she is not sure about the reason that the authorities have been waiting for several years to come after.

“I can’t understand this part,” she said. “Maybe they decided: it’s the role now.”

“Wonderful adventure”

BARABASH will not enter into specific details about how it leaves Russia, for fear of endangering others using similar tactics.

“I can only say it was a great adventure,” she said, with “many dangerous moments.”

She fled on April 21, and to the outside world, it seemed as if it had just disappeared.

She says if she left her home, torn the ankle monitor and retreated with a “private car” waiting for her. Then they traveled more than 2,800 km, using secret methods to evade monitoring.

At one time, she says, the plan was high, had to move away, and cut off from her connections in Europe. This is when Bruttin is the worst.

“I had to disappear. I had to stop all smartphones, all the tools,” ParaPash said.

During that period of isolation, she says that she lived for fear of arresting her, but she pushed through her, focusing on her final goal.

“I had a goal. I had a goal. I had to be in freedom. This is how I started, I had to end it,” she said. “I had to be lucky and strong.”

Once she got out of the country, she met the reporters without border officials, who took her to Paris, obtained a visa, linked her to a psychologist, and now helps her to apply for asylum.

During a press conference on Monday with the organization, it condemned the lack of freedoms in Russia, saying that there is no longer anything like the Russian journalist.

“There is no culture in Russia, there is no policy. It is a war,” she said, saves state control. “The press cannot exist in the shadow of totalitarianism.”

According to OVD-info, a prominent rights group has faced political arrests, and has faced 1240 people in Crimea, which Russia has been occupying since 2022 because of their anti-war stance, and 389 detainees at the present time.

At least 38 journalists are still imprisoned in Russia, according to journalists without borders.

While settling in her new life away from home, Parappach is thinking about returning her last moments with her mother.

“She told me that I chose the right path or the left road, knowing that my migration is much better than prison,” she said.

“96 years old and I understand very well that I will not see her again. It’s a great tragedy.”