Journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva fled Russia after experiencing pressure from the authorities. Prokopyeva is CPJ International Press Freedom Award winner from 2020 and is a freelance contributor to RFE/RLs North.Realities project. On March 18, her apartment in Pskov was raided by police. She was forced on the ground and handcuffed. She was taken to the police station where she was questioned about allegedly spreading false information about the region’s governor. In a Facebook post announcing her departure from Russia, she said she will not be silenced and will return to Russia as soon as possible. Prokopyeva left Russia for Riga, Latvia.