Russian journalist escapes country out of fear for his life

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Russia takes control of key city in Ukraine

Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall reports from Kyiv on what's next after Russian forces capture Kherson.

The chief editor of an independent Russian news network fled the country out of fear for his safety. 

"After the blocking of Dozhd's website, Dozhd's social media accounts, and the threat against some employees, it is obvious that the personal safety of some of us is at risk," TV Rain's editor-in-chief Tikhon Dzyadko said on Telegram Wednesday.

Dzyadko fled with his family as well as the editorial staff of TV Rain, also known as Dozhd. 

Chief editor of the media outlet TV Rain (Dozhd) Tikhon Dzyadko speaks during an interview in Moscow, Russia September 2, 2021. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina (Reuters)

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The network has been critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and even hosted U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Tuesday morning. 

State Department spokesperson Ned Price speaks during a press briefing at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool) (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)

"We condemn the Kremlin’s shuttering of independent media outlets like these in an effort to stifle dissent against its premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustifiable attack against Ukraine," Price said Tuesday. 

United States officials said Wednesday that Russia shut down independent news outlets, and accused Russian officials of launching a "full war on media freedom and the truth." 

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"Russia’s government is also throttling Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram platforms that tens of millions of Russia’s citizens rely on to access independent information and opinions," the State Department said in a statement, according to Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to the media during a joint news conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban following their talks in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. Putin says the U.S. and its allies have ignored Russia's top security demands. In his first comments on the standoff with the West over Ukraine in more than a month, Putin said Tuesday that the Kremlin is still studying the U.S. and NATO's response to the Russian security demands received last week. (Yuri Kochetkov/Pool Photo via AP) (Yuri Kochetkov/Pool Photo via AP)

Journalists from Dozhd were bracing for the crackdown earlier this week, warning on a Sunday show that they were "facing a real threat."

Ekho Moskvy, one of Russia's oldest radio stations, was also shut down this week by the government. Russian authorities accused the outlets of spreading "false information regarding the actions of Russian military personnel as part of a special operation" in Ukraine.

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Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy, wrote that the accusations "are not supported by any examples, any evidence … are unfounded and insulting to journalists and citizens of Russia," adding that the order will be challenged in court. 

Fox News' Paul Best contributed to this report.