News helps people survive. Please, help Meduza survive. Our future depends only on you. Thank you!
Dear readers,
For more than two years now, we have been unable to receive funds from Russia — even though the majority of our readers live there. At first, we thought this meant the end of Meduza. And yet, here we are, still standing, thanks to people like you in countries around the world who value Meduza’s work and remain committed to freedom of speech.
This is a real miracle. And in dark times, it seems there is nothing more important than remembering that miracles do happen. You are performing a miracle every day for our millions of readers in Russia. And we, together with them, thank you.
We think of you and work for you.
Yours, Meduza
You can also support us with
Recurring donations help the most, but you always can send us one-time donations, too.
For those who want to support us from the USA and claim a tax deduction.
Please consider sharing on social media that you’ve donated. When it comes to convincing your friends and followers to support Meduza, you’re the best advocate there is.
How can I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel your subscription at any time. Just email us at [email protected]. Your subscription will be cancelled within 24 hours. You can also contact the Stripe Payment System at [email protected] in case you have any further questions.
How can people in Russia still read Meduza?
Despite the fact that our website has been blocked, we’ve managed to retain most of our audience there. In fact, most of our audience is still in Russia.
Here’s how we’re doing now:
- Meduza.io: 9,000,000 readers, every month
- Telegram: 1,188,000 subscribers
- Instagram: 991,000 followers
- Twitter: 1,500,000 followers
- iOS and Android: 1,500,000 downloads
- YouTube: 575,000 subscribers
- Newsletters: 200,000 subscribers
Frequently asked questions
What if I want to change the payment amount or billing date?
No problem! Just email us at the same address: [email protected]. You should also email us if you get a new credit card and want to update your billing information.
Can I claim a tax deduction for donating to Meduza?
Yes, you can, if you live in the United States. This is possible through a partnership with Mother Jones, which has verified Meduza as a sponsored project. Your payment will be made to Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress, and then transferred to Meduza. The Foundation for National Progress, which is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3), serves as a fiscal sponsor for Meduza's journalistic endeavors.
How do you donate?
- To pay using a credit card, complete this form and email it to [email protected].
- Checks should be made payable to “Meduza” and mailed to the following address:
Mother Jones
P.O. Box 584
San Francisco, CA 94104-0584 - For inquiries about making donations via bank transfers, wire transfers, or gifts of stock, contact [email protected] or call (415) 321-1721.
- For instructions on making donations using international wire transfers or stock transfers, please write to [email protected], and we will provide all the necessary details.
Is it safe to share my bank card details with Meduza?
We do not store any bank account or payment data on our servers. All debit transactions are encrypted and processed through the secure and reliable payment service “Stripe.” In addition, our crowdfunding page doesn’t have any of the scripts that are used on the rest of Meduza’s website — it’s not even connected to Google Analytics
Will my email address get leaked?
No. Meduza won’t store your email address; it will only be registered in the secure payment system.
Why is supporting Meduza so important right now?
The Kremlin has forced many independent media outlets to close, while the rest are no longer covering the war in Ukraine. The authorities have destroyed Russia’s media landscape in just ten days. Only a handful of publications have refused to comply with the demands of the Russian authorities and continue to do their work despite the risks. Meduza is the only major publication among them.
Why didn’t the Russian authorities just shut down Meduza?
Well, they tried. Since May 2021, Meduza’s been labeled a “foreign agent” by the Russian government, which has also tried to block our website locally and close down our channels on social media. We were forced to evacuate our bureau in Russia, as our employees there were at risk of criminal prosecution for reporting basic facts about the invasion of Ukraine. We’ve survived because Meduza was always headquartered outside Russia precisely because of the authorities’ hostility to independent journalism. And now we must seek financial support outside of Russia, as well.
Can people from Russia still read Meduza?
Yes. Despite the fact that our website has been blocked, we’ve managed to retain most of our audience there. Russian Internet users are getting used to using VPN services to access blocked websites (it’s not just Meduza — even Twitter and Facebook are officially blocked). And our audience on social media and other platforms has grown significantly since the February 2022 invasion.
Why should I contribute to Meduza?
Your contribution fuels our work to keep our millions of readers informed about Russia and its actions in the war. Together, we will make Kremlin propaganda as ineffective as possible, helping the chances of a sooner peace.
Also, thanks to your support, there exists Meduza in English, which connects a global audience to our journalists’ most important news coverage and analysis.
What else can I do?
Besides donating, we ask our readers to spread the word about Meduza. You can share links to our English-language stories, encourage your friends to sign up for our daily newsletter, and recommend our podcast, The Naked Pravda. You can also follow Meduza on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
If you know someone in Russia, make sure they know how to access Meduza. All the information about that process is available in this Google Doc. Anyone can also follow us on Telegram.
If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions, you can contact us here: [email protected].