Russian journalist in 'serious condition' after knife attack

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published October 23, 2017

A Russian journalist was in a "serious condition" after an unknown assailant on Monday forced his way into the offices of a radio station critical of the Kremlin and stabbed her in the neck.

Tatyana Felgengauer, a 32-year-old presenter for Echo of Moscow, was attacked after the suspect entered the radio station's building in central Moscow and blinded the security guard with a spray, Editor-in-Chief Alexei Venediktov said.

"He then came with a knife and stabbed Tanya," Venediktov told reporters.

"There was a lot of blood and she was in shock," the editor said, adding that the attacker, who was overpowered by a security guard, had appeared to be aiming at her.

"He knew where he was going and he knew who he was going to. We are all shocked."

Ida Sharapova, another employee at the radio station, said the suspect grabbed Felgengauer before he stabbed her.

"At first I thought he knew her," she told reporters.

The Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, said it has opened a criminal case against a 48-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder.

Citing preliminary information, Moscow police said the attacker was driven by "personal animosity" and that he was a "citizen of a foreign country."

Venediktov said he was told "there was no threat to life but she is in a serious condition," adding that Felgengauer had been able to get out of the building on her own two feet.

"We are waiting to find out what will happen after an operation."

He also said that two more people had been hurt: the security guard downstairs who had the substance thrown at his face and another guard upstairs who was able to pin the attacker down.

Radio station employee Vitaly Ruvinsky posted on Twitter a photo of the disheveled man dressed in a black jacket and trousers seated in a chair.

Police officer Yury Titov said the suspect tried to hide in the building after he stabbed the journalist but was found by the security guards.

Venediktov said the man had a drawing of the office plan.

"He had a plan of the office with names of rooms in English, I saw it with my own eyes," he added.

Guard Aleksandr Usachyov, who had overpowered the man, also said the man appeared to be targeting Felgengauer.

"I grabbed his knife and pinned him to the floor," he said.

Felgengauer is one of the radio station's deputy editors and a longtime presenter of a morning news program.

She is also actively involved in opposition rallies and has thousands of followers on her public Facebook page.

The Echo of Moscow radio has been the mouthpiece of the country's liberal opposition since the Soviet era, with its editorial policy frequently putting it on political thin ice.

The media outlet was founded during the perestroika era as the Soviet Union's first independent radio, going on air for the first time on August 22, 1990.

Since then the Echo of Moscow has come a long way, becoming one of the top-cited media in Russia and by far the most popular talk radio station, with broadcasting in many of the country's regions.

It is majority owned by Gazprom Media, the media arm of Russian natural gas giant Gazprom.

Russia has a disturbing record of attacks on journalists, with 58 killed since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Threats made against journalists often go unaddressed and attacks are not investigated.

Another Echo of Moscow presenter Yulia Latynina this year left Russia after a series of attacks on her car and home. - AFP

Even a win can't hide Pakistan's structural collapse in cricket

 June 11, 2025:  Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.

Journalists stage walkout at post-budget briefing over government's dismissive attitude

 June 11, 2025:  Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.

Legal storm brews as Dr. Nauman Niaz serves defamation notice on Shoaib Akhtar

 May 31, 2025:  Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.

HRCP urges complete repeal of PECA, citing threats to free speech and civil liberties

 May 30, 2025:  The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.

PFUJ condemns murder of journalist Syed Mohammad Shah, urges immediate justice

 May 30, 2025:  The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.

State within a state? Police block reinstated Jang employees from resuming duties

 May 26, 2025:  In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.

PFUJ slams Jang Group's 'economic massacre' after mass firing of over 80 workers

 May 25, 2025:  PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.

Labor rights trampled: Daily Jang defies court, terminates over 80 employees

 May 25, 2025:  Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.