Assailant stabs top journalist at leading Moscow radio station

An assailant stabbed a senior editor at Russia’s Echo of Moscow radio Monday in a brazen break-in and attack at one of Russia’s most prominent and politically outspoken talk stations. The assault was the latest in a series of attacks, some with political motives, on prominent journalists in Russia.

Tatiana Felgengauer, the deputy editor in chief, was hospitalized with wounds to her neck and arms. As of Monday evening, Felgengauer was in an induced coma following an operation to repair a deep wound to her neck, Alexei Venediktov, the radio station’s editor in chief, said in an interview.

“This is not acceptable. It’s spreading like a plague,” Venediktov said, referring to attacks on journalists. “Journalists are absolutely without protection in our country.”

The attack shocked Russia’s political establishment. The Moscow mayor personally intervened to get Felgengauer quickly to an elite hospital, Venediktov said, possibly saving her life. Alexei Gromov, deputy chief of staff to Russian President Vladi­mir Putin, also called to pledge his support.

Read the whole story from The Washington Post.

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