Support The Moscow Times!
Contribute today

Defense Ministry's News Agency Ready to Go

Russia's Defense Ministry has completed work on its own information agency, Zvezda, RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

Irina Rossius, the former press secretary for the Emergency Situations Ministry, will head the new agency, which shares its name with a separate state-run television channel and radio station, the news agency reported, citing a source in the Defense Ministry.

The news agency's focus will be military news, and the primary target audience will be Internet users. About 500 people will be employed on Zvezda's staff.

The report did not say when the agency would be launched.

The ministry announced its decision to set up Zvezda last December, though the finish date — early 2014 — was pushed back due to delays.

See also:

Russian Defense Ministry to Establish Military Zone in the Arctic

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more

circumstances unclear

U.S. Citizen Killed in Moscow-Held Donetsk – Russian Media

Russell Bentley, 64, was known to have fought with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and had been given Russian nationality.
1 Min read
'nuances'

Russian Officials Face Restrictions on Foreign Trips, Kremlin Confirms

The confirmation comes after a Reuters report said Russia's stricter travel rules were linked to fears of foreign powers gaining access to state secrets...
2 Min read
tone deaf

Russian Official Resigns Over Son’s Viral Bali Vacation Video

“Some ask me, ‘Ilya, will you ever come back to Perm?’ ... Why the hell would I want to be in Perm?” regional official Alexei Dyomkin's son said...
1 Min read
reported retaliation

Russia: We Told Israel ‘Iran Does Not Want Escalation’

The Kremlin also said Friday it was looking into the reports that Israel carried out a strike on Iran and urged all sides to exercise "restraint."
2 Min read