Russia's censor unblocks Navalny's website, after he agreed to delete his investigative report against Deripaska and Prikhodko

On February 26, two days after Alexey Navalny agreed to delete his Deripaska-Prikhodko investigative report from his website, Russia’s federal censor unblocked Navalny.com. Navalny’s team isn’t the first media outlet to comply with an injunction issued by a court in Ust-Labinsky, where Deripaska is suing Nastya Rybka.

In mid-February, the independent U.S.-government-funded Radio Svoboda, Znak.com, NEWSru.com, and Snob all removed photos and videos shared in Navalny's report. Instagram also deleted two images, as instructed by Russia’s censor. So far, only YouTube has refused to comply, saying that it will wait for a verdict in Deripaska’s lawsuit, before limiting Russian users’ access to any content.

How significant is it that Navalny deleted his report?

His website contained a useful written summary of the allegations against Deripaska and Prikhodko, but the video presentation of these allegations is probably what reached more people. That 25-minute video is hosted on YouTube, where it currently has more than 6.1 million views. Deleting his own work to placate the government is hardly a triumph for Navalny, however. His team spent a week ridiculing Roskomnadzor, claiming that it had outsmarted the agency’s censorship tactics. Now Navalny has capitulated, relying on YouTube to keep his work available to the public.