Russian journalist donating Nobel Peace Prize to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov is donating his Nobel Peace Prize to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees. 

“Novaya Gazeta and I have decided to donate the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Medal to the Ukrainian Refugee Fund,” Muratov said in an article, Reuters reported. 

“There are already over 10 million refugees,” Muratov added. “I ask the auction houses to respond and put up for auction this world-famous award.”

The United Nations estimates more than 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled the country while another 6.5 million have been displaced internally.

Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize with Maria Ressa, a journalist from the Philippines, in 2021. 

Muratov is editor-in-chief of the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, which has been critical of the Kremlin and the war in Ukraine, Reuters noted. 

“Stop combat fire, exchange prisoners, release the bodies of the dead, provide humanitarian corridors and assistance, and support refugees,” the paper said. 

The paper said in March it was taking mentions of Russia’s action in Ukraine off its website after the government threatened to throw people in jail who spread “disinformation” about the war, meaning information the government doesn’t like. 

Under the new law, a person could get up to 15 years in prison for opposing the war. 

Thousands of Russians have already been detained for going to anti-war protests throughout the invasion. 

The Russian government has called its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” and refuses to admit Ukrainian civilians have been targeted in attacks.