Sputnik Armenia

Sputnik Armenia is operated by the Armenian branch of Rossiya Segodnya MTG, which is owned by Mediagruppa Rossiya Segodnya, founded by the Russian Federation. The broadcasting license is held by Tospa Radio Company Editorial Office CJSC, which provides technical rebroadcasting services.

Dmitry Pisarenko was born in Yerevan. He previously worked for the A1+ TV channel, from where he was sent to Nagorno-Karabakh in February 1993 to cover the war. At the age of 30, he was appointed head of the North Caucasus bureau of the Russian NTV television company. In one of his interviews, he mentioned that during his years as head of the bureau, he spent a long time in Chechnya (a republic within the Russian Federation). In a conversation with the research team, he stated that he returned to Armenia in 2015 and, since then has been heading the Armenian branch of the Rossiya Segodnya International Media Group.

No biographical or professional information is available about Naira Melkmyuan in public domain.

Dmitry Kiselyov is a Russian journalist and broadcaster. He currently serves as the Director General of Russia’s international media group “Rossiya Segodnya.” Kiselyov began his journalistic career in 1975 at the Novosti Press Agency. Over the years, he worked for the international broadcasting division of the Soviet State Television and Radio Company, including editorial offices in Norway and Poland, and has led television programs in both Russian and Ukrainian media.

He is best known as the host of “Vesti Nedeli” (“News of the Week”) on the Rossiya 1 television channel, where he delivers weekly political analyses in line with the Kremlin’s positions. In 2013, by decree of the President of Russia, Kiselyov was appointed head of Rossiya Segodnya.

International media often describe him as one of the key figures in Kremlin propaganda. The European Union has included him in its sanctions list for publicly endorsing the illegal annexation of Crimea.

Margarita Simonyan is one of the most prominent figures in the Russian media sector. She is of Armenian descent and was born in Russia. Simonyan is currently the editor-in-chief of the international media group “Rossiya Segodnya.” Under her leadership, the international news agency Sputnik was also established. In 2005, at the age of 25, she was appointed editor-in-chief of the newly launched English-language television channel “Russia Today.”

These media platforms are funded by the Kremlin and have been characterized by international media outlets as key instruments for disseminating Russian state propaganda abroad. International press reports have documented Simonyan's close ties with senior Kremlin officials, particularly Alexey Gromov, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia.

In 2022, Margarita Simonyan stated that the Armenian government had barred her and Russian State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin from entering Armenia. Simonyan has publicly criticized the current Armenian authorities, especially with regard to foreign policy.