The Global Story The tightrope of reporting in Putin’s Russia
Feb 18, 2026
Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia editor in Moscow with decades covering Russian politics. He talks about why he stayed as other outlets left. He recalls the 1990s optimism and Putin's centralised power. He describes legal changes after 2022 and the practical risks of reporting. He reflects on preparing to question Putin and balancing honest reporting with personal safety.
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Early Fascination And Arrival In Moscow
- Steve Rosenberg became fascinated by Russia after a 1980s BBC Russian TV course and studied the language.
- He moved to Moscow in 1991 to teach English and witnessed the Soviet Union's collapse four months later.
Career Began As Putin Rose
- Steve's reporting career in Moscow effectively started the same day Boris Yeltsin resigned and Vladimir Putin rose to power.
- He describes Putin's background in security services and the early signs of recentralizing power.
Invasion Accelerated Media Crackdown
- Laws passed after the 2022 invasion rapidly shrank media space and forced many outlets to pause or leave.
- Steve stayed because he judged it important to report from inside Russia while constantly reassessing safety.