Maria Pevchikh
Maria Konstantinovna Pevchikh (Russian: Мария Константиновна Певчих; born August 15, 1987) is a Russian investigative journalist, activist and head of the investigative unit of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).[1] Pevchikh is known for exposing high-level criminal activity in Russia.[2]
Maria Pevchikh | |
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Born | 1987 ![]() Zelenograd (Soviet Union) ![]() |
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Occupation | Investigative journalist, executive producer ![]() |
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Biography
Maria Pevchikh was born on August 15, 1987 in the city of Zelenograd, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.[3] Pevchikh graduated from Zelenograd gymnasium No. 1528. She studied at the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University.[4][5] In 2010, Pevchikh led a Russian delegation to participate in the G8 Youth Summit in Vancouver, Canada.[3][6][7] In 2010 she moved to the United Kingdom, where she graduated from the faculty of political science of the London School of Economics.[3][4][8]
Pevchikh is a permanent resident of the United Kingdom, but often visits Russia.[8][9]
Maria Pevchikh gained media attention in 2020 after the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. She was one of the companions of Alexei Navalny during his trip across Russia when he was poisoned.[4][5] When it became known that Navalny had fallen into a coma, Pevchikh went to the hotel where he had stayed and took plastic water bottles from there.[10] The bottles were taken from Russia to Germany on the plane on which Navalny was evacuated. Experts later found traces of the Novichok chemical warfare agent.[4][5]
Investigations
Maria Pevchikh began reading the blog of Alexei Navalny in 2010 and later worked on almost all investigations that appeared on the blog after 2011. The first investigation she worked on was an investigation into the Russian VTB Bank and its drilling equipment. The investigation was launched by the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and Pevchikh worked to complete it.[4][5]
Her job as head of the investigation department is to gather information and prepare textual material for investigations.[11]
On December 2, 2019, the FBK investigation department released a video about the connections between Russian banker Andrey Kostin and Russian journalist Nailya Asker-zade. Maria Pevchikh, during an interview with the Global Investigative Journalism Network, told what methods were used during the investigation.[12]
Pevchikh and Russian activist Georgy Alburov received the Redkollegia journalism award for their investigation into the Putin's Palace, a palace complex allegedly built for Russian President Vladimir Putin.[13]
References
- Dixon, Robyn (2021-08-18). "Navalny's daughter pleads for medical care for the imprisoned Kremlin critic amid mounting health concerns". The Washington Post. Moscow. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- Campbell, Eric; Henry, Matt (2021-02-15). "'Probably the biggest bribe ever given': The woman who exposed Putin". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
- "Мария Певчих" [Maria Pevchikh]. 24SMI (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- ""Новости происходили у меня на глазах". Интервью с Марией Певчих, самой таинственной сотрудницей Алексея Навального" ["The news was happening in front of my eyes". Interview with Maria Pevchikh, the most mysterious employee of Alexei Navalny]. BBC News Russian (in Russian). 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- "Мария Певчих рассказала, как она попала в ФБК, как проводит расследования и как преследуют ее родных в России" [Maria Pevchikh told how she got to FBK, how she conducts investigations and how her relatives are being persecuted in Russia]. RTVI (in Russian). 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- Gorshkov, Ilya (2020-09-18). "Не оставляет следов в интернете и в официальных базах юрлиц: кто такая Мария Певчих" [Leaves no traces on the Internet and in the official databases of legal entities: who is Maria Pevchikh]. Daily Storm (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- "Final Communique Youth Summit" (PDF). Young European Leadership. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- Seddon, Max; Foy, Henry (2021-01-22). "The Russian activists continuing Navalny's anti-corruption fight". Financial Times. Moscow. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- "Navalny's Team: Water Bottle with Poison Traces Found in Hotel Room". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Voice of America. 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- Kozenko, Andrey (2020-09-23). "Alexei Navalny: How his team found Novichok bottle evidence in Tomsk". BBC News. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- Korelina, Olga; Reiter, Svetlana (2020-09-11). "Russian police officials make false claims about Anti-Corruption Foundation employee evading questioning". Meduza. Translated by Eilish Hart. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
- Philp, Rowan (2021-02-10). "What Journalists Can Learn from Navalny's Investigative Team in Russia". Global Investigative Journalism Network. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
- "Мария Певчих" [Maria Pevchikh]. Redkollegia (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-06.