In 2000, Vladimir Putin became president, leading to a crackdown on press freedom in Russia. Independent media channels like ORT, NTV, and TV-6 were taken into state control, and a ban was imposed on political candidates. In 2006, Anna Politkovskaya was murdered, deterring news organizations from reporting on topics that could anger the Kremlin. Since 2009, attacks on journalists and inadvertent censorship have become an everyday occurrence, with 2021 marking the highest number of arrests of journalists since 1992. The Russian government has used legal strategies to silence the press, creating a smokescreen of legitimacy for the erosion of human rights and fundamental freedoms.