Kholod (media)
Type of site | Online magazine |
|---|---|
| Available in | Russian, English |
| Headquarters | |
| Created by | Taisiya Bekbulatova |
| Editor | Taisiya Bekbulatova |
| Website | holod |
| Launched | August 22, 2019 |
| Current status | Active (blocked in Russia since April 2022) |
Kholod (Russian: Холод, lit. "Cold") is a Russian-language independent online magazine founded by journalist Taisiya Bekbulatova on August 22, 2019.[1] The publication specializes in long-form narrative journalism, producing in-depth feature stories and investigative reports about life in Russia, as well as true-crime podcasts.[2] Since 2022, its website has been blocked in Russia by Roskomnadzor, and in January 2024, the publication itself was designated a "foreign agent" by the Russian Ministry of Justice.[3]
History
Founding
Before launching Kholod, Taisiya Bekbulatova worked for five years as a political correspondent at Kommersant and then for two years as a special correspondent at Meduza.[2] After leaving Meduza in March 2019, she decided to start her own publication. Its first article, "Doroga v Askiz" ("Road to Askiz"), was published on August 22, 2019, on a website Bekbulatova built using the Tilda platform.[2] The story covered a serial killer in Khakassia who had murdered and raped women for five years while law enforcement failed to act, despite the Investigative Committee being aware of him since 2013.[2] The article was edited by journalists Alexander Gorbachev and Andrei Borzenko.[2] Alongside the article, Bekbulatova released the true-crime podcast Trassa 161 ("Highway 161"), produced by Alexei Ponomaryov, at the time the podcast editor at the educational project Arzamas.[2]
Growth
For the first months, Bekbulatova ran the project alone as an editor working with freelance authors. The full editorial team began work in February 2020, supported by private investors whose identities Bekbulatova has not disclosed.[2] By mid-2021, the staff had grown to 14 people.[citation needed] The publication also accepts reader donations and sells advertising. In November 2020, it was announced that the Kholod article "Road to Askiz" would be adapted into the television series Myorzlaya zemlya ("Frozen Ground") for the American streaming service Topic, directed by Valeria Gai Germanika and produced by Alexander Rodnyansky.[citation needed]
Kholod also produces English-language content and has been a content partner with Global Voices.[4]
Government pressure and exile
On December 30, 2021, the Russian Ministry of Justice added Bekbulatova personally to the registry of "foreign agent" media.[5] In April 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Roskomnadzor blocked Kholod's website in Russia after Bekbulatova refused to remove articles covering the war.[3] In 2023, the editorial team relocated to Riga and Tbilisi, from where they continue to operate.[citation needed] On January 12, 2024, Kholod itself was officially added to the foreign agent registry.[3]
Despite government pressure, the outlet has continued publishing in both Russian and English. It has been cited alongside Meduza, Mediazona, Novaya Gazeta, and TV Rain as one of the key independent Russian media outlets reporting on the invasion of Ukraine from exile.[6]
Content and style
Kholod focuses on long-form narrative journalism rather than breaking news. Its stories typically require weeks or months of reporting and cover a wide range of subjects, including true crime, social issues, human rights, and the experiences of marginalized communities across Russia.[2] Bekbulatova has described Kholod as representing "a certain complex feeling about our country and the people who live in it".[2]
The publication is also known for its podcasts, the most prominent being Trassa 161, a true-crime series about the Khakassia serial killer case.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ "Kholod". Library of Congress. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Настя Сотник (August 5, 2020). "Команда онлайн-журнала «Холод»". The Blueprint (in русский). Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Kholod and Alexander Minkin designated as "foreign agents"". International Press Institute. January 12, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Holod Media - Contributor profile". Global Voices. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "В список СМИ-"иноагентов" внесли Шендеровича и Гельмана". Deutsche Welle (in русский). December 30, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Sam Greene (December 7, 2022). "Self-Harming: the West's Media Policy for Russia". Center for European Policy Analysis. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
External links
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