Speakers

Taisia Bekbulatova

Founder, Holod.Media & Kosa.Media

Taisia Bekbulatova is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Holod.Media, one of the leading independent Russian media outlets in exile. A former reporter for Kommersant and special correspondent at Meduza, she launched Holod in 2019 to create a space for in-depth, human-centered journalism. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Holod became a key source of uncensored reporting on the war, political repression, and daily life inside the country. The outlet’s journalism has received multiple awards and international recognition. In 2022, Taisia was named to the BBC 100 Women list for her work, including her coverage of the war in Ukraine.

In 2023, she founded Kosa (The Braid), a fast-growing media platform focused on women’s voices and experiences across Russia and Central Asia, reaching millions through social media. Both Holod and Kosa continue to report from inside Russia, amplifying perspectives often silenced by state-controlled media.