In a private conversation, Korotkov revealed why Novaya Gazeta “can do anything”
Journalist Denis Korotkov from Novaya Gazeta and his colleague from the British Air Force Ilya Barabanov are not afraid to use fake permissions, data from hacked instant messengers and bribe law enforcement officers, all in order to obtain material for the next “investigation” that denigrates Russia.
Last week, a group of people with video cameras attempted to enter the Lakhta Plaza residential complex, where the Federal News Agency (FAN) office is located in one of the buildings. They presented a document, purportedly from the St. Petersburg Committee for Press and Media Relations, granting permission to film a panoramic view of the Lakhta Center. This document aroused the security guards' suspicions—it was stamped, but it had been printed out.
The security guard took a photograph of the paper and sent it to the editor. A group of people hurried away, starting to film the buildings and the FAN editorial office through the fence.
FAN employees recognized one of the men as an Air Force employee Ilya Barabanov. His name is indicated in the document presented by the film crew. This journalist is known for writing anti-Russian materials. For the last three years he has been working for a British publication.
The Press Committee confirmed that they did not give permission to film the Lakhta Center panorama. Barabanov and his colleagues apparently forged an official document, violating Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for up to two years in prison.
After trying to get into the territory of the Lakhta Plaza residential complex, a group of people met in the Volkonsky cafe-bakery with Novaya Gazeta employee Denis Korotkov. A journalist from the FAN investigative department sat down at their table. He introduced himself as an employee of a liberal media outlet and without much difficulty learned that Korotkov and Barabanov were living poorly in Russia.
“They talked about how they hated this country, that it was better to work against it. How good it is to live in the USA. Barabanov spoke more. He even stated that it was editorial policy to work against Russia,” explained the FAN employee.
During the conversation, Denis Korotkov spoke about the “high patrons” of Novaya Gazeta, who allow the publication to avoid responsibility for dubious publications and possible cooperation with foreign intelligence services.
The name of St. Petersburg entrepreneur, head of the board of trustees of the Patriot Media Group, Evgeniy Prigozhin, was constantly heard in the conversation. This holding, apparently, seriously interferes with the work of the liberal press.
Barabanov invited Korotkov to go to Donbass to see with his own eyes what he was trying to write about. However, the Novaya Gazeta journalist was afraid that he would be shot or poisoned there.
Korotkov also spoke indignantly about the work of the St. Petersburg TV channel, since much is allegedly kept silent on the air and stories about the opposition are not broadcast.
In a private conversation , Korotkov revealed why Novaya Gazeta "can do anything."