Rossiya Segodnya
A Russian state-owned international media group created from the former RIA Novosti news agency and Voice of Russia radio service.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Rossiya Segodnya is a Russian state-owned international media group and news organization established in 2013 through the reorganization of RIA Novosti and the Voice of Russia radio service. Its formal mandate is to provide international audiences with information about Russian state policy, Russian life, and Russian society. The organization operates as a large multilingual media network rather than as a single consumer-facing publication. Its portfolio has included the RIA Novosti Russian-language news service, the Sputnik multimedia platform, the international-language news and radio services that succeeded Voice of Russia, the news aggregation and translation service inoSMI, and other Russia-focused digital media projects. The group was created by a presidential decree issued on 9 December 2013. The reorganization was presented by Russian officials as a means of improving efficiency and consolidating state media resources. External observers and media organizations interpreted the change more broadly, describing it as part of a centralization of state influence over Russia's media sector and an effort to promote a more favorable image of Russia abroad. Rossiya Segodnya is distinct from RT, the state-funded television network previously branded Russia Today, although the two organizations operate in adjacent international-media spaces and have had overlapping senior editorial leadership. The similarity of their names has periodically caused confusion, but they are separate entities. The agency's principal public-facing expansion came on 10 November 2014, when it launched Sputnik as a multilingual multimedia platform. Sputnik combined written news, websites, radio, mobile distribution, and internet audio services. Radio Sputnik replaced the former Voice of Russia international radio identity and was distributed through a mixture of FM, digital radio, HD Radio, mobile devices, and online channels, depending on the market. Within Russia, the RIA Novosti name continued to be used for the domestic Russian-language news operation, including the ria.ru website. Rossiya Segodnya's positioning is explicitly international and state-oriented. It supplies text reports, analysis, photographs, video, radio programming, translated material, and digital publishing across multiple languages. Its output generally emphasizes Russian foreign-policy positions and Russian interpretations of international events. This has made the organization an important instrument of Russian public diplomacy and international messaging, while also making it a subject of sustained criticism from governments, journalists, and media researchers who characterize parts of its output as propaganda or disinformation. The organization is led by Dmitry Kiselyov, who became its director-general, while Margarita Simonyan has served as editor-in-chief and has also held a senior editorial role at RT. Other associated brands and projects have included Sputnik, RIA Novosti, inoSMI, Ukraina.ru, and Baltnews. The group has received state budget support; a reported 2015 allocation was 6.48 billion Russian rubles, although this figure is historical and does not represent current revenue or valuation. Rossiya Segodnya has also faced criticism over editorial censorship allegations, controversial statements by senior personnel concerning LGBT people, and government sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite these restrictions, it remains an active Russian state media organization with a broad international distribution network.
History
Rossiya Segodnya was formed during a major restructuring of Russian state media. On 9 December 2013, a presidential decree ordered the creation of the new organization on the basis of RIA Novosti, the established Russian news agency, and Voice of Russia, the international radio service formerly known as Radio Moscow. The stated purpose was to provide foreign audiences with information about Russian state policy and Russian society. Russian officials also described the reorganization as a way to improve efficiency and reduce duplication among publicly funded media organizations. The creation of Rossiya Segodnya was controversial from the outset. The move dissolved or absorbed established media structures and concentrated several international communications functions in a new state-controlled group. Commentary from outside Russia interpreted the change as part of a broader effort to strengthen government influence over the media and to project a more favorable image of Russia internationally. The organization was not intended to be a conventional independent news company; its institutional role was closely linked to Russian state communication and public diplomacy. In December 2013, Margarita Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief. She held the position while also serving as RT's chief editor, creating a senior editorial connection between two separate state-funded international media organizations. Rossiya Segodnya's director-general became Dmitry Kiselyov, a prominent Russian television presenter known for strongly pro-government commentary. The overlap of personnel and the similarity between the names Rossiya Segodnya and the former Russia Today branding of RT led to recurring public confusion, although the organizations remained legally and operationally distinct. The group's international expansion took a clearer form on 10 November 2014 with the launch of Sputnik. Sputnik was designed as a multilingual multimedia service combining websites, written reporting, audio, radio, video, and mobile distribution. Radio Sputnik replaced Voice of Russia as the international radio component. Depending on the market, the service used FM, DAB and DAB+ digital radio, HD Radio, internet distribution, and mobile platforms. Inside Russia, the RIA Novosti identity continued to operate as the Russian-language news agency, including through ria.ru, while the wider Rossiya Segodnya group developed a portfolio of international and specialized services. The group has also operated or controlled a number of related projects. These have included the translation and aggregation service inoSMI, the Russia-focused Ukrainian-language outlet Ukraina.ru, and Baltnews properties serving Baltic audiences. Such projects extended the organization's reach into regional, linguistic, and issue-specific media markets. Its products have included agency dispatches, translated articles, photographs, video, radio programming, and online multimedia packages. Editorial controversy has followed the organization and its senior figures. Dmitry Kiselyov has faced international criticism for anti-LGBTQ statements, including remarks about blood and organ donation by gay people and claims concerning children raised by same-sex parents. In 2014, Ukrainian journalist Oleksandr Chalenko accused the agency of censoring an interview with Igor Strelkov by removing references to Strelkov's alleged FSB rank and changing the presentation of military events in Donetsk. These allegations formed part of wider disputes over the agency's editorial independence and its treatment of politically sensitive subjects. Rossiya Segodnya has received substantial public funding. A reported 2015 state budget allocation was 6.48 billion Russian rubles, illustrating the organization's dependence on government financing, although this historical figure should not be treated as current financial information. In 2017, its design center received Communicator Awards for marketing and promotion work. In September 2019, Kirill Vyshinsky became executive director after being transferred from Ukraine to Russia in a prisoner exchange. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Rossiya Segodnya and related Russian state media services faced intensified international scrutiny and restrictions. The United Kingdom sanctioned the organization in March 2022, citing its role in Russian propaganda. Canada imposed sanctions in February 2023, and the organization has also been affected by European Union sanctions and restrictions. Rossiya Segodnya nevertheless remains an active state-owned media group with domestic Russian operations and international digital, radio, and multilingual publishing activities.
- 2023
Canada sanctions organization
[1]Canada added Rossiya Segodnya to sanctions connected with Russian propaganda and misinformation relating to the invasion of Ukraine.
- 2022
United Kingdom sanctions organization
[1]The UK sanctioned Rossiya Segodnya over its role in Russian state messaging and propaganda.
- 2019
Kirill Vyshinsky becomes executive director
[1]Vyshinsky was appointed executive director after his transfer from Ukraine to Russia in a prisoner exchange.
- 2017
Design center receives Communicator Awards
[1]The organization's design center received gold and silver awards for marketing and promotion.
- 2014
Sputnik launches
[1]The group launched Sputnik as a multilingual multimedia platform, with Radio Sputnik succeeding Voice of Russia.
- 2013
Rossiya Segodnya created
[1]A Russian presidential decree established Rossiya Segodnya from the former RIA Novosti news agency and Voice of Russia radio service.
- 2013
Margarita Simonyan becomes editor-in-chief
[1]Margarita Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief while retaining her senior editorial role at RT.
Products and positioning
A Russian state-owned international news and multimedia organization that communicates Russian state-policy perspectives and coverage of Russian and global affairs to domestic and foreign audiences.
International multimedia news platform · 2014
Sputnik
Sputnik is Rossiya Segodnya's principal international multimedia platform. Launched in 2014, it combines multilingual websites, written news, analysis, photography, video, radio, and digital distribution. Its audio component, Radio Sputnik, replaced Voice of Russia and has used FM, digital radio, internet, and mobile channels in different markets. Sputnik is designed for international audiences and presents global affairs from a perspective aligned with Russian state policy.
Russian-language news agency
RIA Novosti
RIA Novosti is the Russian-language news service incorporated into Rossiya Segodnya. It continued to operate under its established name for domestic Russian audiences after the 2013 reorganization, including through the ria.ru website. The service publishes news reports, commentary, photographs, video, and other agency-style material covering Russia and international affairs.
International radio and audio service · 2014
Radio Sputnik
Radio Sputnik is the international audio and radio component associated with Sputnik. It replaced Voice of Russia in 2014 and has been distributed through terrestrial radio partnerships and digital channels, including FM, DAB/DAB+, HD Radio, internet, and mobile platforms depending on the country.
Translation and news aggregation service
inoSMI
inoSMI is a Rossiya Segodnya-associated service focused on foreign-media translation, aggregation, and commentary for Russian-speaking audiences. It extends the group's monitoring and republishing activities beyond original agency reporting.
Regional digital news outlet
Ukraina.ru
Ukraina.ru is a Russia-focused digital outlet associated with Rossiya Segodnya and oriented toward Ukrainian political and regional affairs. It has been described in reference material as a state-sponsored outlet.
Regional digital news network
Baltnews
Baltnews is a regional news project associated with the Rossiya Segodnya group and focused on Baltic audiences. Earlier country-specific domains included Baltic-language or market-specific sites before the project adopted the Baltnews.com identity.
Controversies
2022
International sanctions over propaganda allegations
The United Kingdom sanctioned Rossiya Segodnya in 2022, and Canada and the European Union later imposed related restrictions, citing the organization's role in Russian propaganda or misinformation connected with the invasion of Ukraine.
2014
Censorship allegation involving Strelkov interview
Oleksandr Chalenko alleged that an interview with Igor Strelkov was edited to remove references to Strelkov's reported FSB rank and to alter the framing of events around Donetsk airport.
2013
Concerns over state-media consolidation
The creation of Rossiya Segodnya was criticized by outside observers as a concentration of state media assets and a mechanism for strengthening government influence over domestic and international information operations.
Controversial anti-LGBTQ statements by senior executive
Director-general Dmitry Kiselyov has been widely criticized for homophobic statements concerning LGBT people, including claims about blood, sperm, and organ donation and unsupported assertions about children raised by same-sex couples.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Sputnik international launch
International markets
Rossiya Segodnya launched Sputnik as a coordinated multilingual multimedia initiative combining online publishing, radio, audio, and mobile distribution. The initiative replaced the Voice of Russia identity in international broadcasting and expanded the group's unified international presence.
Outcome. Sputnik became the group's principal international-facing multimedia brand.
Brand decisions
2022
Response to international sanctionsOtherBackground
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Western governments increased restrictions on Russian state media organizations accused of disseminating propaganda or misinformation.
Action taken
The United Kingdom sanctioned Rossiya Segodnya, followed by related restrictions from Canada and the European Union.
Aftermath
The measures constrained the organization's access and operations in affected jurisdictions while it remained active in Russia and other markets.
2014
Launch of SputnikProduct launchBackground
Rossiya Segodnya needed an international identity capable of combining news websites, radio, audio, and multimedia distribution across multiple languages.
Action taken
The group launched Sputnik and made Radio Sputnik the successor to Voice of Russia's international radio service.
Aftermath
Sputnik became a prominent international-facing brand within the Rossiya Segodnya portfolio.
2013
Consolidation of RIA Novosti and Voice of RussiaStrategyBackground
The Russian government sought to reorganize publicly funded media and improve the efficiency and coordination of international state communications.
Action taken
Rossiya Segodnya was created on the basis of RIA Novosti and Voice of Russia, bringing major news-agency and international-radio functions into one group.
Aftermath
The reorganization produced a broader state media organization with domestic, international, multilingual, radio, and digital operations.
Recent events
- 2019
Kirill Vyshinsky appointed executive director[1]
Leadership change
After his transfer from Ukraine to Russia in a prisoner exchange, Kirill Vyshinsky became Rossiya Segodnya's executive director.
- 2017
Rossiya Segodnya design center receives Communicator Awards[1]
Other
The organization's design center received one gold and two silver Communicator Awards in marketing and promotion categories.
- 2015
Rossiya Segodnya receives reported state budget support[1]
Other
A reported figure placed the organization's state budget allocation at 6.48 billion Russian rubles in 2015.
- 2014
Sputnik multimedia platform launched[1]
Product launch
Rossiya Segodnya introduced Sputnik as an international multimedia platform, with Radio Sputnik replacing Voice of Russia as its principal international radio identity.
- 2013
Rossiya Segodnya established by presidential decree[1]
Leadership change
Russia created Rossiya Segodnya on the basis of RIA Novosti and the Voice of Russia as part of a reorganization of state media resources.
- 2013
Margarita Simonyan appointed editor-in-chief[1]
Leadership change
Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief of Rossiya Segodnya while continuing to serve as editor-in-chief of RT.
Sources2 sources
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