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RIA Novosti

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RIA Novosti is a prominent state-owned news agency based in Moscow, Russia. It functions as a domestic news service that provides reporting and analysis on a wide range of subjects. These topics include social-political issues, economics, science, and finance. The agency distributes its content through the internet and via email. It uses many different languages to reach a global audience, including major European languages, Persian, Japanese, and Arabic.

Newsroom RIA Novosti, Moscow 2
Newsroom RIA Novosti, Moscow 2

The agency serves a massive network of clients. These include the Russian presidential administration and the Russian government. Other clients include the Federation Council and the State Duma. It also provides information to various ministries, government departments, and regional administrations. Beyond the government, it serves business communities and diplomatic missions. This makes the agency a central part of the Russian information landscape.

The history of the agency began on June 24, 1941. At that time, the Soviet Union established the Soviet Information Bureau, or Sovinformburo. Its primary task was to oversee reporting on international and military events. It also covered domestic life through radio, newspapers, and magazines. During the war, the bureau focused on reporting from the frontlines and the home front. In 1944, a special bureau was created specifically for foreign propaganda.

Newspaper stall and women in East Berlin, with person in wheelchair, 1984
Newspaper stall and women in East Berlin, with person in wheelchair, 1984

In 1961, the organization evolved into the Novosti Press Agency, known as APN. This agency was formed by a conference of various Soviet public organizations. Its stated goal was to promote mutual understanding and friendship among nations. APN was a massive operation with bureaus in over 120 countries. It published 60 different illustrated newspapers and magazines in 45 languages. At one time, its circulation reached 4.3 million copies. The agency also operated a TV center that eventually became the RT media network.

Newspaper stall and women in East Berlin, with person in wheelchair, 1984
Newspaper stall and women in East Berlin, with person in wheelchair, 1984

Changes continued through the end of the Soviet era and into the Russian Federation. In 1990, the agency became the Information Agency Novosti, or IAN. It developed a computer databank containing over 250,000 documents. By September 1991, the modern RIA Novosti was created from IAN and the Russian Information Agency. It grew to include about 80 bureaus and news offices located abroad. In 2005, it helped launch the global television network RT, also known as Russia Today.

Information Office - Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C
Information Office - Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C

A major reorganization occurred on December 9, 2013. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to liquidate RIA Novosti. The agency's assets and workforce were transferred to a new agency called Rossiya Segodnya. This new agency was formed by merging RIA Novosti with the Voice of Russia service. During this transition, staff members had to choose between new contracts or redundancy contracts. Despite this change, RIA Novosti was re-registered as a news agency and online newspaper in April 2014.

Newsroom RIA Novosti, Moscow 2
Newsroom RIA Novosti, Moscow 2

The agency has been involved in several notable incidents and international disputes. During the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the agency published an article by mistake. The article incorrectly announced a Russian victory and claimed that Ukraine had returned to Russia. The agency removed the text quickly, but it had already been republished by Sputnik. In 2023, Canada placed RIA Novosti on its sanctions list. The European Union followed in 2024, accusing the agency of spreading propaganda.

Information Office - Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C
Information Office - Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C
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File:Newspaper stall and women in East Berlin, with person in wheelchair, 1984.jpg
Newspaper stall and women in East Berlin,...
File:Newsroom RIA Novosti, Moscow 2.jpg
Newsroom RIA Novosti, Moscow 2.jpg
File:Information Office - Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C.JPG
Information Office - Embassy of Russia in...
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