Russian Federation

The Russian Federation, acting through its federal government, is the direct owner and controller of Rossiya Segodnya International Media Group—a principal state-funded media conglomerate established by presidential decree in December 2013. This entity was formed from the merger of RIA Novosti and the Voice of Russia radio, consolidating the state’s management of international broadcasting and information policy. Rossiya Segodnya holds a wide portfolio of brands, including RIA Novosti, Sputnik (radio and digital), Baltnews, InoSMI, Ukraina.ru, and other specialized media outlets. The group has extensive global reach, producing content in more than 30 languages and operating multimedia press centers and digital platforms worldwide.

In Armenia, Rossiya Segodnya operates via the locally registered Rossiya Segodnya MTG branch (since 2014), serving as the owner and editorial authority for the Sputnik Armenia radio program. Sputnik Armenia broadcasts on 106 FM in Yerevan, with local rebroadcasting technical support provided by Tospa Radio Company Editorial Office CJSC. While Tospa holds the radio license and manages transmission, all editorial content and strategy are set by the Armenian branch, in line with the parent group’s mission and objectives. The group’s charter and company statutes explicitly mandate the formation of a positive image of Russia abroad and prioritize the collection, processing, and dissemination of information that supports Moscow’s interests.

Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian government has dramatically tightened its control over media and press freedom. The introduction of strict new laws banned independent reporting on military activities and criminalized dissent from official narratives, forcing dozens of independent outlets—including TV Rain (Dozhd), Echo of Moscow, Novaya Gazeta, and others—off the air or out of the country. The Kremlin has reassigned radio and TV frequencies to state or allied operators, sharply increased censorship, and prosecuted journalists and media owners who failed to comply with government directives. These measures are publicly defended as necessary in an “information war,” with official spokespeople justifying expanded restrictions due to wartime circumstances.

Rossiya Segodnya’s top management—such as Director General Dmitry Kiselyov and Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan—are regarded internationally as pivotal Kremlin loyalists. Both individuals have been sanctioned by the European Union, United States, and allied governments for their roles in promoting state-aligned propaganda and disinformation about Ukraine and supporting Russia’s anti-Western policy agenda.