Anna Politkovskaya was a prominent Russian journalist and author known for her fearless investigative reporting and critical commentary on the Putin regime. Born in 1958 in New York City to a family of Soviet diplomats, Politkovskaya spent most of her childhood abroad before settling in Moscow in the 1980s.

After working for several years as a translator and editor, Politkovskaya turned to journalism, starting out as a reporter for the newspaper Izvestia. She later worked for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, where she made a name for herself as a hard-hitting investigative journalist who exposed corruption, human rights abuses, and political repression in Russia.

Politkovskaya's work often put her at odds with the Russian government, which she criticized for its authoritarianism and suppression of dissent. She reported extensively on the Chechen Wars, documenting human rights abuses and war crimes committed by Russian security forces and Chechen militants. Her reporting earned her international acclaim and numerous awards, but it also made her a target of harassment and intimidation by Russian authorities.

In 2004, Politkovskaya was poisoned while on a flight to cover the Beslan school siege. She continued to face threats and harassment in the years that followed, including a brutal attack outside her Moscow apartment in 2006. Despite the danger, she refused to be silenced and continued to report on human rights abuses and political corruption in Russia until her assassination on October 7th, 2006.

Politkovskaya's legacy as a courageous journalist and defender of human rights lives on through her writing, which has been translated into multiple languages and continues to inspire a new generation of reporters and activists. She remains a symbol of journalistic integrity and courage, and her work serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers and importance of holding those in power accountable.