Reporting from a Lost Country: Public Interview with Elena Kostyuchenko

We were honoured to host Elena Kostyuchenko, a renowned Russian journalist and gay rights activist currently in exile, for a public interview. As an investigative reporter for Novaya Gazeta, Elena has long been a courageous voice in exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and the realities of life in Russia and Ukraine.

The conversation centred around Elena’s powerful and critically acclaimed book, I Love Russia: Reporting from a Lost Country (Penguin Press, 2023), a collection of her writings translated into English. The book has earned international recognition, including:

• Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker and Time magazine
• New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
• Winner of the 2024 Pushkin House Book Prize

The discussion offered a profound look into Elena’s experiences as a journalist working under immense personal and professional risks in Russia and Ukraine, providing first-hand insights into the challenges of reporting in authoritarian environments.

The interview was followed by an engaging Q&A session, where attendees had the opportunity to ask Elena about her work, life in exile, and the broader implications of her reporting.