Official position/function regarding the conflict

VGTRK is one of the largest media holdings in the world, it owns a network of federal TV channels (Russia-1, Russia-24, Russia-Planet, Russia-Culture, etc.), radio, as well as a network of regional branches. Russia-1 is one of the three main TV channels in the country, overtaking Channel One and NTV in popularity ratings. VGTRK is funded 100% from the state budget. The financing of the holding has increased in recent years up to RUR 24.2 billion. (approximately $33 million) for 2020, but for 2021 and 2022, a decrease is planned – the budget will drop to RUR 21.4 billion rubles ($29,3 million). The Director General of VGTRK is Oleg Dobrodeyev.

Russia-1 and Russia-24 are the largest channels of the holding, leading information and socio-political broadcasters, flagship assets of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company. Russia-1 is one of the most aggressive propagandist channels, an active participant in the information campaign against Ukraine and the West. The main actors of the country’s propaganda work here – Vladimir Solovyov (Duel, Evening with Vladimir Solovyov), Dmitry Kiselyov (Deputy Director-General of VGTRK, Director General of news agency Russia Today, host of the program Vesti Nedeli), Olga Skabeyeva, and Evgeniy Popov (60 minutes). Director-General O.Dobrodeyev constantly participates in meetings in the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, where the heads of the main state media receive guidance on the directions of information work.

In their broadcasts, Russia-1 and Russia-24 relay the main principles of the Kremlin ideologists, first of all, that the war in Donbas is an internal conflict of Ukrainians. They accuse Ukraine of war crimes and discrimination against the population of Donbas.

Interests/goals in the conflict region

As a completely state-owned company, VGTRK does not have its own position in relation to Ukraine and Donbas, it is only a conductor of the Kremlin’s position. Targets for criticism include not only Ukraine and the West, but also the Russian opposition.

Actions regarding the conflict

News reporting, comments, or expert discussions on both channels are full of aggressively hostile rhetoric towards Ukraine, alternative opinions are not allowed. As in other propagandist media, Russia-1 and Russia-24 devote a disproportionately large amount of their air time to Ukraine, while less time is given to discussing pressing problems in Russia. The channel discusses the future of divided Ukraine and the “young republics,” the failure of the reforms of the Ukrainian presidents. Any actions of the Ukrainian authorities are subject to ridicule or condemnation. Often, Ukrainian or Western marginal right- or left-wing extremist actors, representatives of the former Yanukovych regime now living in Russia, representatives of the ORDLO quasi-authorities, and separatists participating in hostilities act as “experts” in political talk shows (you can read more here, here, and here). It is also quite common to invite dummy Ukrainian or Western journalists or political researchers to political talk shows, who are supposed to portray a “different” point of view, but in fact, are also subject to public ridicule. Both channels were repeatedly accused of spreading fakes, among them:

• a staged shootout in Simferopol, during which “Ukrainian militants” allegedly shot the Russian military (1.03.2014);
• a fake story about the shelling of the village of Semenivka with phosphorus incendiary shells on 12 June 2014, where CNN footage of 2004 was used.

In general, the actions of Russia-1 in relation to the conflict region can be called consistent anti-Ukrainian propaganda. 

Since August 2014, the broadcasting of all VGTRK channels in Ukraine has been blocked.