Ivan Golunov's former employer plans to sue outlet with troll factory ties for ‘news’ about his arrest

The independent news outlet RBC is preparing a lawsuit against the Federal News Agency (FAN), which has reported ties to “Putin’s chef” Yevgeny Prigozhin and his so-called troll factory in St. Petersburg. According to RBC co-director Yelizaveta Golikova, the outlet objected to a brief FAN published under the headline “RBK editor-in-chief says Golunov, arrested on drug charges, should be legally answerable.”

Golikova said FAN did turn to her for comment, asking “whether liberal journalists should receive ‘special’ protection under the law.” She answered that RBC had already made its position on the question public and that she had nothing to add. “I will take all necessary action to defend my reputation and the reputation of the outlet,” Golikova said. “We have little faith in the justice system, but we’ll try.”