“Roskomnadzor warns the Russian media not to publish this interview,” the agency said in a statement. “The media conducting the interviews will be subject to scrutiny to determine the extent of the responsibility and the appropriate response to be received.” The reporters interviewed by Zelensky were from Meduza, a Latvian-based website, the Moscow newspaper Kommersant, and the recently closed TV Rain channel. The most prominent exiled writer Mikhail Zygar also participated. Some of the participating stores have been officially labeled “foreign agents” by the Russian government, Roskomnadzor said in a statement on the Telegram social networking application. During the interview, Zelensky harshly criticized Moscow, but also discussed a possible agreement to end the war. Ukraine is ready to accept a neutral non-nuclear regime, he said. Zelensky said on Sunday that Moscow was “scared” by the truth. “[They] destroyed freedom of speech in their state – [and are] trying to destroy the neighboring state. They present themselves as global players. “They themselves are afraid of a relatively short conversation with several journalists,” he said during a video speech. “Well, if there is such a reaction – then we are doing everything right. [It] “It means they are nervous,” Zelensky added. Moscow has hit the independent media in the weeks since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine and many Russian journalists have fled the country. Access to foreign media such as the BBC has been restricted. Russian lawmakers have also criminalized the dissemination of “false” information that defames the Russian armed forces or calls for sanctions against the country. Novaya Gazeta publisher Dmitry Muratov, who won last year’s Nobel Peace Prize for his “efforts to ensure freedom of expression”, has vowed to auction the medal to support Ukrainian refugees. Novaya Gazeta said in early March that it had removed articles about the war in Ukraine from its website due to government censorship.
