Anna Politkovskaya was an internationally-acclaimed Russian journalist and human rights activist. She will be missed, not forgotten, for her courageous journalism and undeterred devotion to the truth. Her probing reports on human rights atrocities in Chechnya brought her international recognition. In another sense, they failed to protect her, as she bravely called out the Russian state and President Vladimir Putin. Tragically, that same year, Politkovskaya was shot and killed in the elevator of her apartment building in Moscow. Though six men were eventually convicted for her murder, the hit’s true mastermind remains unknown. The story goes on to show that we still don’t know who ordered the hit.
Elena Kudimova, Politkovskaya’s sister, has been outspoken about her skepticism over the furthering of justice in the case of her sister. “If they had wanted to find him, they probably would have done so by now,” she stated, reflecting on the ongoing lack of accountability surrounding the assassination.
Beginning in 1999, Politkovskaya took nearly monthly trips to Chechnya for several years. She fearlessly chronicled the humanitarian crisis that was the result of the blockade on civilians in the war-torn area. Her bravery ensured that her legacy was more than just a myth. She emerged as a figure of strength for countless marginalized and tortured souls. For these individuals, she was “the last resort.”
In 2004, Politkovskaya was poisoned while in a plane en route to Beslan to help negotiate a hostage stand-off. During that flight, she ingested poison from an unknown attacker. Facing a record of over 50 threats on her life throughout her career, she still stood her ground. “I can’t leave because nobody else will help the people here,” she once remarked, underscoring her dedication to her mission.
Perhaps that’s why a new film entitled “Words of War,” recently produced by Sean Penn, is resonating. It stars actress Maxine Peake as Anna Politkovskaya, with the hope of keeping her memory and legacy alive. Kudimova has publicly criticized the film’s depiction of her sister. She noted that initial drafts misrepresented family dynamics, stating, “[Anna’s son] Ilya was portrayed in the original script as a sort of womanizer.” In addition, she explained that Anna does not develop a love story with the journalist Dmitry Muratov in the movie.
Though cautious, Kudimova was pleasantly surprised by steps taken by the filmmakers after they came on board to create a more accurate portrayal of Anna’s family. And of course I was struck by the idea that it’s always snowing — like Russia has only one season. She added, “In practice, we really have all four.” To me, her comment indicated a hope that the film would provide a more complicated portrait of Russian life.
Anna Politkovskaya’s name now has much larger connotations – courage, an indomitable spirit – than simply the movement for free speech in Russia. This dogged determination to seek the truth defined her career and made an irreversible impact on investigative journalism. Even though six men were tried and convicted in connection with her murder, the head dog behind it still hasn’t been found. Kudimova dreads that the truth will never come out about her sister’s murder.
The documentary film “Words of War” pays tribute to Politkovskaya’s life. It equally serves as a somber reminder of the risks journalists around the world continue to incur when they speak truth to power and defend human rights. As Kudimova reflects on her sister’s legacy, she emphasizes that Politkovskaya was “someone who, despite all the threats and the danger to her life, kept doing her work until the very end.”
Leave a Reply