Svoboda satellite package faces funding cliff as demand surges among Russian-speaking audiences
BRUSSELS — When Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched the Svoboda satellite package in 2024, it was designed as a direct challenge to Kremlin control over the information space. Today, the project has grown into one of the most important independent media lifelines for Russian speakers, broadcasting around 15 Russian-language channels to approximately 4.5 million households in Russia and Belarus, as well as 800,000 households in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. The name “Svoboda,” the Russian word for freedom, reflects its mission: to provide reliable journalism to audiences trapped behind censorship walls. Unlike online news outlets, which can be blocked, throttled, or shut down by state authorities, satellite transmissions are extremely difficult for governments to disrupt. They can survive internet shutdowns and continue reaching viewers even when digital infrastructure is severed. This technical advantage has made Svoboda an essential tool in the fight against Kremlin propaganda, and its popularity is growing rapidly. According to a recent estimate from the Svoboda satellite package team, viewing sessions have increased by approximately 58% between April 2026 and the projected end of September 2026. The average viewing time is an impressive 51 minutes, suggesting that audiences are not just channel-surfing but actively engaging with independent journalism.
The reach of Svoboda extends far beyond its direct satellite footprint. A study conducted by France’s EHESS in June 2026 estimated the package’s total monthly audience at between 905,300 and 1,810,600 viewers — and that estimate notably excludes viewers in Russia and Belarus. In other words, the real audience is likely much larger. Inside Russia itself, independent media continue to command a meaningful audience despite intense repression. According to a 2025 study by the JX Fund, a partner of RSF, an estimated 6% to 9% of Russian adults — roughly 6 to 10 million people — still consume independent media. Svoboda plays a crucial role in growing that audience and expanding access to trustworthy reporting in a country where state television and state-controlled online platforms dominate the information environment. For Russians who have grown weary of propaganda, and for people living in occupied Ukrainian territories where information is heavily controlled, Svoboda offers a window into reality. The package’s growing appeal is a clear sign that there is significant unmet demand for independent Russian-language journalism, and that satellite distribution remains one of the most effective ways to meet that demand in a censorship-proof manner.
Despite its success, Svoboda is now facing a serious financial threat. The project has been primarily supported by the European Union’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT), but that funding terminates at the end of October 2026. Without continued financial support, the entire package could be at risk of collapse, leaving millions of viewers without access to independent news. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. Svoboda is not a marginal media experiment; it is a critical component of the EU’s strategy to counter Kremlin propaganda and disinformation across the European continent. Russian state media have long targeted Russian-speaking audiences with narratives designed to justify aggression, undermine democratic institutions, and sow division. Independent outlets carried by Svoboda offer an alternative to that narrative, providing fact-based reporting, investigative journalism, and diverse perspectives. If the funding disappears, the EU would effectively hand a major propaganda victory to the Kremlin. Ensuring continued financing for Svoboda is therefore not just a matter of media policy; it is a matter of strategic security for Europe.
The importance of Svoboda was underscored at a first-ever workshop that brought together its content providers alongside the official conference. The participating outlets — Belsat, Current Time, Radio Echo, Maxim Katz, Belarus Tomorrow, EQTV, RFI, TV8, and New Puppets — represent a broad spectrum of independent Russian- and Belarusian-language media. At the workshop, they showcased their expertise in developing techniques to counter Kremlin propaganda and effectively reach Russian-speaking audiences across borders. More importantly, the meeting cemented their shared belief that the satellite package is crucial to their work and that its funding must continue. For many of these outlets, Svoboda is not just an additional distribution channel; it is often the only reliable way to reach audiences inside Russia and the occupied territories. Online platforms are increasingly blocked or restricted, and social media algorithms often suppress independent content. Satellite television bypasses those obstacles entirely. The workshop also highlighted the collaborative spirit among exiled media professionals, who are determined to maintain a free press for their home countries even from abroad. Their collective expertise is a valuable asset for the EU, and their willingness to work together strengthens the overall resilience of the independent media ecosystem.
Behind these channels are thousands of journalists who have paid a heavy price for their commitment to truth. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, between 1,500 and 1,800 Russian journalists have fled to the European Union. In addition, more than 500 Belarusian news professionals have left their country since the brutal crackdown on protests in 2020. Many of these journalists are financially unstable, living in exile with uncertain legal status and limited resources. They are also terrorised by transnational repression — threatened, harassed, and even targeted by state actors who want to silence them. Despite these dangers, they remain determined to continue their work. Exiled journalists are one of the best lines of defence against Russian propaganda and disinformation. By leveraging censorship and circumvention tools such as RSF’s Svoboda satellite package and the mirror site operation Collateral Freedom, exiled Russian and Belarusian outlets are often able to reach significant portions of their original audiences. The outlets supported by these initiatives, along with sustainability programmes like the JX Fund, provide rare and vital insight into internal developments in Russia and Lukashenko’s Belarus. Without them, the outside world would be left with little reliable information about political repression, social unrest, or the true situation on the ground in occupied territories.
For the European Union, supporting exiled journalists — especially those from Russia and Belarus — is not just a humanitarian obligation. It is a vital strategic necessity in an era of global information warfare. The Kremlin has made clear that it views information as a battlefield, and it invests heavily in propaganda, disinformation, and cyber operations designed to weaken European unity and public trust. Independent Russian-language media are among the most effective counterweights to those efforts. They speak to audiences that Russian state media are trying to win over, and they do so with credibility and factual reporting. The EU and its member states must fully recognise their responsibility to guarantee a safe, operational haven for these journalists. That means not only protecting them physically and legally, but also ensuring they have the resources and platforms they need to do their work. The Svoboda satellite package is a perfect example of what can be achieved when European institutions invest in media freedom strategically. But that investment is now at risk. If funding is allowed to lapse at the end of October 2026, the consequences would be felt far beyond the media sector. They would be felt in the future of democracy in Russia, in the resilience of Ukraine’s occupied territories, and in the security of the entire European continent. The time to act is now.