The organization Vikimedia.ru, which supports the Russian-speaking version of Wikipedia, has announced its closure in Russia, according to executive director Stanislav Kozlovsky as reported by TASS.
Kozlovsky stated, “Yesterday we decided to close Vikimedia.ru. We are preparing the necessary paperwork to dissolve our organization, which has been operating for 15 years.”
The decision to close Vikimedia.ru comes in light of Kozlovsky’s imminent recognition as a foreigner. The details of this information were received by the rectors of Moscow State University, where Kozlovsky had been employed for approximately 25 years.
Kozlovsky further revealed, “Since yesterday, I am no longer an employee of Moscow State University.”
It is important to note that Vikimedia.ru does not control Wikipedia directly, as the encyclopedia is maintained by a community of authors. The organization’s primary objective was to support Wiki projects in Russia, including the development of textbooks and courses, as well as organizing conferences and other events for Wikipedists.
Despite concerns over the potential blocking of Wikipedia in Russia, Kozlovsky expressed hope that it would continue to exist unimpeded. He emphasized, “Talks of its potential blocking have been circulating for more than 10 years and while it could technically happen any day, it has not yet occurred. I hope that it never will.”