You used to run Yandex News, one of the main online news portals in Russia.

Now you have written publicly to your former colleagues and asked them to protest against the propaganda.

Why?

Gustave parts

Business correspondent in Stuttgart.

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Yandex home page reaches 30 million Russians a day.

There are always five headings of the most important topics of the day.

I found out a few days ago that there is no information about what is happening in Ukraine, that there is an invasion, how many victims there are.

There is only talk of a "special operation with the aim of denazification" and they compare it with the US behavior in Iraq.

What would it change if there was actual reporting?

The average Russian is not interested in politics.

On Yandex, he only wants to do everyday things: order food or find out about traffic jams.

But at the top of the page are these five headings.

You can't overlook them.

When I was responsible for it from 2008 to 2012, the thing was that most people didn't click on it.

But when something extraordinary happened, interest tripled.

And then I thought: my former colleagues could inform people.

Maybe then it stays online for half a day and some people wonder what's really happening.

But maybe I was too emotional.

Did you get any feedback?

There has now been an official statement from the Yandex boss.

He said he doesn't support war.

But he will not rebel.

It is about maintaining the services for the users.

And a former colleague who is a senior manager at Yandex wrote to me: he said he fully agrees with my opinion.

I wrote to him that my post was not an expression of opinion but a call to action.

He told me he was trying to persuade his colleagues.

Unsuccessful.

How else is the mood at Yandex?

Some people have resigned.

Including an entrepreneur who sold her company to Yandex and lives in London.

But the people I tagged in my post didn't respond.

But I didn't expect an answer either.

Now I turned to the foreign board members of Yandex.

But there was still no response.

What is Yandex's position on the Russian government?

We all know that the relationships are very close.

This is how the company secured its market share.

People with high salaries and good jobs find it quite normal that there are agreements with the government.

At least that's what they tell themselves.

Otherwise they would have to admit that they are partly responsible for war crimes.

Are you in contact with people who are still in Russia?

Yes, many of my friends and part of my family live there.

I'm very worried.

My mother is a teacher, she wants to stay.

And many of my friends are journalists.

They could be fined under the new law if they continue to do their job.

Do you also know people who believe the propaganda?

The majority of Russians still believe that nothing out of the ordinary is happening, that there are no war crimes.

News about The Hague is forbidden.

But in my circle of friends everyone knows what is happening.

Your former colleagues would put themselves in danger, probably even end up in prison.

Aren't you asking too much of them?

That might be the case today.

A week ago it would have been worth the risk.

Of course it's about bravery.

But when you compare the risk of being fired or imprisoned to the guilt people take upon themselves, the answer is pretty clear.

And many of the employees aren't even in Russia.

But nobody is doing anything, nobody has contacted me.

Do you think your contribution has been noticed?

I'm pretty sure about it.

Everyone within the company must have seen that.

But the government saw it too: the news site TheVillage.ru was blocked after writing about me.

Are you concerned that you might be in danger yourself?

I didn't think about that.

My children helped at Berlin Central Station.

I also wanted to contribute something useful.

That's the mood everywhere here.

More than a million Ukrainians have fled.

I hope that the people who see me as a danger are currently dealing with greater dangers.

Why don't you live in Russia anymore?

We fled in August 2015 after the annexation of Crimea.

I was attacked at a demo.

That's when my wife and I realized that it was impossible to stay in Russia.

We didn't want our children to grow up in these circumstances.

Maybe that wasn't heroic.

I'm not a fighter but it was the right decision.

How close are your ties to Russia?

Very tight.

Before the pandemic, I was in Russia for a week every month.

I lived between Berlin and Moscow.

But now my relatives are also fleeing.

My nephew escaped to Yerevan today.

Do you also have contacts in Ukraine?

My son's former babysitter is in a city in Ukraine under Russian siege and had to hide from the bombs for nights on end.

She recently spoke to an old friend in Russia on the phone.

She said: Don't worry, the soldiers are coming to free you.

My girlfriend yelled at her: What kind of nonsense are you talking about?

I think Russia is becoming more and more like Nazi Germany.