In a stunning act of defiance against Russia’s repressive regime, 63-year-old journalist Ekaterina Barabash escaped house arrest in Moscow and fled to safety in France, marking a rare victory for press freedom in a country where dissent is met with severe punishment. Her story, which unfolded in the spring of 2025, is a testament to the courage of independent journalists who risk everything to speak the truth in the face of authoritarian censorship.