'Putin Jeogyeoksu' Russian Journalist Puts Nobel Peace Prize Up for Auction... "Solidarity with Ukraine"

All Proceeds Donated to UNICEF

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Dmitry Muratov (60), a Russian journalist who has consistently criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has put his Nobel Peace Prize medal up for auction to help Ukrainian refugees.

According to The New York Times and others, the auction of Muratov's medal began on the 2nd (local time) at Heritage Auctions and will continue until the 20th.

Muratov stated the purpose of this auction as "solidarity with 14 million Ukrainian refugees who have lost their homes due to the Russian invasion." The proceeds will be donated to UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund).

In 1993, Muratov co-founded the Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta with Mikhail Gorbachev, former General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party, and served as its editor-in-chief. Novaya Gazeta exposed corruption within the Putin administration and criticized the war in Ukraine, but suspended publication in March amid threats of punishment from Russian authorities.

He received the Nobel Peace Prize last October along with Filipino journalist Maria Ressa for their contributions to press freedom.

At the time, he expressed that "this honor should go to Alexei Navalny." Navalny is an opposition activist who has exposed corruption among Russian political leaders and oligarchs and is considered a "political rival" of Putin.

Since the outbreak of the war on February 24, the Russian government has tightened restrictions on the media, including criminal penalties for spreading "false information."

Muratov criticized, saying, "Looking at the number of Ukrainian refugees, this war is not a localized conflict but corresponds to a Third World War," and added, "It is time to end the mistakes."

Dmitry Muratov was attacked with red paint by an unidentified man on a train bound for Samara that departed Moscow on the 7th.
/Photo by Novaya Gazeta Twitter capture

Meanwhile, on April 8 (local time), Muratov was attacked with red paint by an unidentified man on a train from Moscow to Samara.

Muratov posted on his Twitter, "My eyes sting as if they are burning. I will try hard to wash it off," along with a photo. In the released photo, Muratov is seen covered with red paint on his face and upper body.

Despite this, Muratov continued to criticize the government at the World Press Freedom Day event held in Geneva, Switzerland, last May, stating, "The Russian government is continuously exposing nuclear-related information through the media to promote the legitimacy of nuclear weapon use," and added, "I have also heard that if weapon supplies to Ukraine continue, these terrible (nuclear) weapons might have to be used."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.