TRANSCRIPT:
Truth, transparency, freedom. These are at the frontlines of today’s global struggle. I’m Yulia Savchenko, a senior editor and lead anchor with the Voice of America. For over 80 years, through war and peace, oppression and hope, our voice has endured: clear, consistent and unwavering in its commitment to truth and American values.
VOA’s Russian service has stood as a pillar of U.S. soft power since 1947, reaching directly into the heart of Soviet Union, breaking through the walls of propaganda and censorship. The Soviet Union fell, but history is repeating itself. Independent journalism is now crushed in Russia and much of the former Soviet world. We’re once again witnessing war in the heart of Europe. And once again, our audiences are desperate for clear, credible, factual analysis.
My signature TV show went on air shortly after Crimea was seized. For the whole decade, my team has been bringing uncensored perspectives from leading American and international voices to our audience of millions. Until March, when VOA was silenced, we have always been there in the most crucial moments of uncertainty, carrying the message of democratic values, human dignity and freedom. These are the values that we as American journalists hold dear.
Today, as a new era of competition unfolds between the United States and Russia, VOA’s Russian Service is not just relevant, it is strategic. It’s a vital instrument of American soft power and national security. In a world clouded by competing narratives and misinformation, silencing the Voice of America surrenders the battlefield of truth. America must stand firm. Tell your members of Congress to save VOA.
Published
Savchenko is an award-winning international journalist and anchor for VOA's Russian Service in Washington, where she covers international relations, conducts high profile interviews and anchors the weekly TV show "ITOGI." Prior to joining VOA, she worked for the BBC World Service in London, Moscow and Washington, as both a radio host and a reporter covering international and European politics.