Showreel
Julia Chapman is a TV and radio correspondent, focusing on Russia and the rest of the former Soviet Union. An advanced Russian speaker, she is the Moscow Bureau Chief for Feature Story News, reporting for channels around the world, including PBS, ITV, CBC, CNA and eNCA.
Video Clips
CGTN: Hungary tightens restrictions as COVID-19 cases soar
March 8, 2021
Tighter measures have come into effect in Hungary, where COVID-19 infections reached their highest-ever daily figure over the weekend. But with fewer cases on Monday, hopes are rising that the country’s vaccine drive is starting to make an impact.
CGTN: Hungarian goat farm offers lifeline for marginalised communities
March 6, 2021
In a small town in northeastern Hungary, an unusual social enterprise has emerged: a goat farm and factory offering training and jobs to marginalised communities, including disabled people and those of minority ethnicities.
CGTN: Hungary's Fidesz party withdraws from European Parliament bloc
March 3, 2021
Hungary's ruling Fidesz party has withdrawn from its European Parliament faction. The move follows a vote by the EPP, a conservative bloc of parties, to make it easier to suspend entire member groups. Prime Minister Viktor Orban called the vote a "hostile move".
CNA: Russia says Sputnik V vaccine is 95% effective
November 24, 2020
Russia says its leading COVID-19 vaccine candidate is not only as effective as its rivals but will be half the price. Developers of Sputnik V are hailing their two-shot vaccine, claiming it is 95 percent effective. Officials say the full dose will cost less than 20 dollars a person on international markets. It will be free of charge for Russian citizens.
CNA: Russian hospitals near capacity as country grapples with COVID-19
November 16, 2020
Hospitals in Russia are quickly reaching capacity as the country struggles to get its second wave of COVID-19 under control. But authorities are resisting implementing another lockdown, a decision with major repercussions for the country’s healthcare system.
CNA: Russian ballet resumes with strict COVID-19 precautions in place
October 5, 2020
Russia’s world-famous ballets usually draw huge audiences, but getting dancers back on stage during a pandemic has been a challenge. Sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks have forced some ballet companies back into quarantine. But as Julia Chapman reports from Moscow, dancers and viewers are now taking strict precautions as some performances resume.
CBC: The Lancet publishes data from Russian vaccine trial
September 5, 2020
British medical journal the Lancet has published data from the first phases of clinical trials of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. The study shows all 76 participants developed antibodies against COVID-19 and none had serious side affects. But criticism remains that the trials have been rushed and the data pool is still small.
i24: Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in hospital
August 20, 2020
After taking ill on a flight from Siberia, Russian opposition figure and staunch Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is in hospital in a coma. His spokeswoman says she believes he was poisoned. Navalny collapsed on the plane, which had to carry out an emergency landing in Omsk.
CNA: Russia grapples with impact of coronavirus on employment
July 17, 2020
At the height of Russia’s coronavirus outbreak, the government declared a ‘non-working period’, which continued for six weeks. It shut down all non-essential businesses across the country but required employers to continue paying their workers. Instead, analysts say, many simply lost their jobs.
CNA: Russia denies claims it hacked vaccine trials
July 17, 2020
Russia has denied hacking COVID-19 vaccine trials. The allegations have been made by intelligence agencies in the US, UK and Canada. The Russian Foreign Ministry said battling the coronavirus requires solidarity between countries, but other nations are accusing it of "malicious activity".
CGTN: Russians appear to back changes to constitution
July 1, 2020
Early results suggest Russian voters have backed constitutional amendments, after election officials made the unprecedented step of releasing partial results before all polls had closed. Under the changes, Vladimir Putin could run for president twice more, potentially keeping him in power until 2036.
CNA: Russia votes on constitutional amendments
June 23, 2020
Voting begins Thursday on potential changes to Russia's constitution, including a clause that would allow Vladimir Putin to remain in power for an additional twelve years. The poll is being held across seven days, to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19.
PBS NewsHour: Russian healthcare workers pay a deadly price
May 19, 2020
Russia has announced nearly 10,000 new COVID-19 infections in just the last day, bringing its national total close to 300,000. Half of the cases are in Moscow, where health care workers say protective gear and training for how to treat the disease are lacking. Meanwhile, there are questions about why Russia's official virus deaths are relatively low.
DW Radio: Russian activists hold digital protests in coronavirus age
April 28, 2020
Most of Russia remains under some form of quarantine as the country’s coronavirus outbreak has become one of the world’s largest. Many Russians are frustrated with the government’s handling of the pandemic, but unable to protest outside under lockdown, they’re finding new ways to make their voices heard.
CNA: Putin issues stark coronavirus warning
April 13, 2020
Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering to deploy the military to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. He says all the capabilities of the Russian military "can and should be used". Russia recorded its largest daily rise in confirmed cases, with more than 2,700 new infections.
CGTN: Russia gets to grips with coronavirus
March 31, 2020
Cities and regions across Russia are under lockdown as authorities try to halt the spread of COVID-19. While more than 2,300 cases have been confirmed in the country, there are suggestions that the number would be much higher with wider testing.
CNA: Vladimir Putin could run Russia until 2036
March 09, 2020
Vladimir Putin could remain president of Russia for an additional 12 years under new changes to the country's constitution. The amendments, which have been approved by the Russian parliament, would reset his presidential terms and allow him to run in two more elections.
TRT World: No agreement in Russia-hosted Libya peace talks
January 12, 2020
Rival factions in Libya have failed to agree to a deal over extending a ceasefire in the country. At peace talks in Moscow on Monday, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord signed an agreement, but the rebel commander Khalifa Haftar said he needed more time.
CNA: The Korean diaspora of Uzbekistan
January 03, 2020
Uzbekistan is home to one of the world’s largest Korean diasporas. Their ancestors were deported to the Central Asian country during the era of Stalinist repressions. Despite a tragic history, the community has continued to thrive over several generations.
CNA: Uzbek authorities tearing down homes in modernisation programme
December 27, 2019
As Uzbekistan embarks on an ambitious series of reforms, the country is undergoing dramatic changes. The capital Tashkent is no exception, with construction booming as the government looks to build a new future. But many residents say they’re being pushed out to make way for new developments. Julia Chapman went to meet some of them.
CNA: Uzbekistan courts foreign investors to help finance reform programme
December 20, 2019
Uzbekistan has undergone radical changes since the death of dictator Islam Karimov, who led the country from the late Soviet era until 2016. The government is now courting foreign investors, hoping to prove that Uzbekistan is a safe place to do business. But as Julia Chapman reports from the capital Tashkent, it’s a long road from dictatorship to democracy.
CNA: Uzbekistan and China increasing cooperation
December 16, 2019
Central Asia is growing in strategic significance as it builds partnerships through China’s Belt and Road initiative. With Russia’s role in the region receding, China has stepped in, working with countries like Uzbekistan on infrastructure projects linking east to west. But their expanding collaboration has led to some cause for concern, as Julia Chapman reports.
CNA: Uzbekistan addresses forced labour in cotton industry
November 25, 2019
As harvest season comes to an end in Uzbekistan, so too does the world’s largest annual labour effort. Around 2.5 million people take part in cotton picking in Uzbekistan every year and for decades the industry has been tainted by forced labour. It’s an image the country is trying to shed.
CNA: Case of three sisters brings Russian domestic violence laws into spotlight
November 10, 2019
A murder trial of three young sisters in Russia has brought renewed focus to the country’s domestic violence laws. Campaigners say Russia is backsliding and not enough is being done to protect the victims of abuse.
eNCA: Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa on Russia ties
October 23, 2019
Leaders attending the inaugural Russia-Africa summit have released a joint declaration condemning the use of sanctions as a form of blackmail. Among them was Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has declared a public holiday to protest against the measures.
CGTN: Putin and Erdogan agree on ensuring Kurdish forces' withdrawal
October 21, 2019
Turkey and Russia have reached a deal for ensuring Kurdish fighters' withdrawal from large areas along Syria's border with Turkey. Both sides have also agreed to carry out joint patrols in the areas. Moscow says the agreement marks the end of Turkey's offensive in the region.
CNA: HIV denialism gains traction in Russia
September 18, 2019
More than a million Russians are HIV positive, but officials say around a third of them aren’t receiving treatment. That’s because many have been influenced by HIV denialists, people who spread misinformation about the existence of the virus.
TRT World: Russian women's football slow to gain popularity
September 03, 2019
The coach of the Russian women’s football team says not enough is being done to put the sport on equal footing with the men’s game. This year, more people than ever before watched the FIFA Women’s World Cup. But in Russia, women’s role in the beautiful game is hindered by perceptions.
CGTN: Preparing for a new Moon mission
July 19, 2019
Fifty years after man first stepped on the Moon, scientists are setting their sights there once again. Six would-be astronauts have emerged from four months of isolation as part of research that could one day see a space station built on the lunar surface.
CGTN: Parades held on the streets of Moscow for Victory Day
May 08, 2019
Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia has learned the lessons of war but stressed that the country will always be combat-ready. The president was speaking as Russia celebrated Victory Day, and remembered the millions of Soviets who died in the Second World War.
CNA: Russian caviar market flooded with Chinese products
April 18, 2019
Russia’s black caviar industry is feeling the pinch from an influx of cheap Chinese products. Chinese caviar now accounts for around a third of the Russian market, leading to calls for the government to take steps to protect domestic producers.
CGTN: Kremlin confirms Putin-Kim summit
April 17, 2019
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before the end of April, according to the Kremlin. President Putin will be hoping to achieve better results than Donald Trump after the collapse of the Hanoi talks in February.
TRT World: Russia at centre of money laundering scandal
March 07, 2019
Shares in a number of European banks have fallen this week after allegations were made about their involvement in a money laundering scandal. In one of the largest ever banking leaks, claims have been made that Russian money made its way into the European banking sector through a network of offshore shell companies. Julia Chapman reports from Moscow.
CGTN: Russian real incomes fall for fifth year
February 11, 2019
Real incomes in Russia have fallen for the fifth year in a row, leaving many families struggling to buy the most basic goods. The trend is causing unease amongst Russians who appear increasingly dissatisfied with the decisions the government is taking.
CNA: No breakthrough on island dispute after Putin-Abe meeting
January 21, 2019
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has hailed "ever-growing trust" with Russia, despite slow progress on a peace treaty between the countries. He was speaking in the Russian capital after talks with President Vladimir Putin. A territorial dispute remains a serious obstacle, as Julia Chapman reports from Moscow.
CGTN: Mnangagwa hails fruitful visit to Russia
January 15, 2019
Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa has attended a business forum in Moscow, looking to drum up investment to help stem his country’s economic crisis. Mnangagwa is wrapping up a three-day visit to Russia as protests grow in Zimbabwe over fuel price hikes. Julia Chapman reports from Moscow.
TRT World: American citizen charged with espionage in Russia
January 02, 2019
An American citizen detained in Russia has formally been charged with espionage, according to local media. Paul Whelan was arrested on December 28th by Russia’s Federal Security Service but his family insists he is not a spy.
CGTN: Russia shoots for the moon with lunar exploration programme
December 11, 2018
China is about to launch a space probe it hopes will be the first to land on the far side of the Moon. The launch comes amid renewed interest in lunar research among space-exploring countries. As one of the major players, Russia has some rather ambitious goals, as Julia Chapman reports from Moscow.
TRT World: Russia's virtual reality sector taking off
December 05, 2018
In Russia, the virtual reality industry is expected to grow by more than 50% over the next four years. As demand rises, VR entertainment parks are opening all over the country. And as Julia Chapman reports from Moscow, Russian developers are hoping for a piece of the action.
TRT World: Russia opens fire on Ukrainian naval vessels
November 25, 2018
Russian border services have detained three Ukrainian naval vessels off the coast of Crimea. The Russian authorities accuse the Ukrainian navy of failing to notify them about their journey through the Kerch Strait, a passage separating Crimea from the Russian mainland.
CNA: Prospects remain distant on a Japan-Russia peace treaty
November 14, 2018
Russian President Vladimir Putin says a potential peace treaty with Japan would require "serious groundwork", suggesting it may not be signed anytime soon. Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are both in Singapore for a series of summits.
CGTN: Russia demands explanation over plane search
March 30, 2018
U.S. officials clear out the consulate in St Petersburg after Russian officials ordered it to be shut down. Meanwhile Russia has demanded an explanation from UK authorities after an Aeroflot passenger plane was searched at London's Heathrow Airport.
Deutsche Welle: Russia's revolutionary art endures 100 years later
November 06, 2017
The state authorities may have brushed over centenary celebrations of the 1917 Russian Revolution, but the era's artistic innovations are visible across Russian design today, in everything from fashion to architecture.
