What does it take to turn a brave journalist into a propagandist?
When I was 22, I had a hero.
He was young, charismatic, and one of the brightest political journalists on Russian television.
In January 2013, during a live broadcast about Russia's proposed law banning so-called "gay propaganda," he did something almost unimaginable.
Instead of simply moderating the discussion, he looked into the camera and interrupted the debate:
“I am gay. And I am the same person as you, my dear viewers, as President Putin, as Prime Minister Medvedev, as the deputies of the State Duma.”
Millions of people heard it.
At that moment, coming out on live national television in Russia wasn't just a personal confession. It was a decision that could end his career.
Soon afterward, he was gone from television. He spoke to Western media, opposed the anti-LGBT law, and later helped people living with HIV.
Then independent media almost disappeared. State media became the only place where many journalists could continue working without leaving the country.
A few years later, the same man was saying:
"Love Putin or leave."
Today he is remembered not for his brilliant reporting, but for mocking reports of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
His name is Anton Krasovsky.
People ask:
"Was he always an imperialist?"
We don’t know.
But maybe we're asking the wrong question.
We always wonder why people change.
We rarely ask who was paying their bills while they were still trying to stay honest.
Because someone always pays.
If it isn't the readers, sooner or later it will be someone else.
We like to believe that ideas survive on courage.
Most of the time they survive on rent.