The Unseen Assembly: Russia’s Final Blackout on Parliamentary Transparency

Journalists from reputable outlets like Kommersant and Vedomosti, who have long provided a window into the inner workings of the Duma, now find themselves sidelined in favor of "camera operators from federal channels." This creates a hierarchy of access where only those who have proven their loyalty to the state narrative are permitted to document it. For independent media, this is another nail in the coffin of investigative reporting within Russia, as the physical spaces where power is exercised are being systematically closed off to anyone who might ask an unscripted question or capture an unapproved angle.