Kremlin Mouthpieces

А representative of the federal agency of the russian federation "rossotrudnichestvo" and the director of its representative office in Luxembourg, the "russian house" (russian Center of Science and Culture). Under Bocharova's leadership, the institution implements russian state cultural, educational, and information projects, including the dissemination of materials containing anti-Ukrainian narratives.
In 2025, Luxembourg was included among the countries hosting the russian propaganda exhibition "Died for the Truth". In spring 2025, "rossotrudnichestvo" announced an international campaign to showcase the exhibition, and in June, russian media reported that it had been presented in Luxembourg. The project was created by russian information organizations operating in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the "Donetsk News Agency", "Luhansk Information Center", "Zaporizhzhia News Agency", and "Kherson News Agency", together with russian propagandist Oleksandr Malkevych.
The exhibition disseminated claims that journalists were allegedly deliberately killed by the Ukrainian side, portraying russian war correspondents and propagandists as victims of the "Kyiv regime". The project's materials referred to the Ukrainian authorities as a "junta" and accused Ukrainian military personnel of committing crimes against civilians. In this way, under the guise of defending freedom of speech, anti-Ukrainian accusations were disseminated to discredit Ukraine and its Defense Forces before an international audience. The then-head of "rossotrudnichestvo", Yevhen Prymakov, linked the organization of such exhibitions to the need to convey the russian version of the causes of the war and accusations against Ukrainian military personnel to foreign audiences.
Following the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the russian federation in 2022, the Luxembourg representative office of "rossotrudnichestvo" joined the international information campaign #StopHatingRussians, aimed at spreading claims of alleged discrimination against russians in Western countries. In particular, the representative office published a video in which a young man is denied entry to an event because his dog is a Siberian husky. The publication ended with a call to stop hatred against russians. This material was mentioned in a journalistic investigation into the activities of the "russian houses" network. The campaign contributed to portraying russians as victims of discrimination and shifting attention away from russian aggression against Ukraine toward the allegedly unfair treatment of the russian federation and its citizens by Western countries.
On September 20, 2026, the information resources of the "russian house" in Luxembourg disseminated a statement by the head of "rossotrudnichestvo", Ihor Chaika, in response to a call by Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, to close russian cultural centers abroad. In the statement, I. Chaika portrayed the Ukrainian initiative as an expression of hostility toward russian culture. At the same time, he defended the activities of "russian houses" abroad and announced plans to further expand their network. The dissemination of this statement by the Luxembourg representative office contributed to promoting the information position of the "rossotrudnichestvo" leadership, aimed at discrediting Ukrainian diplomatic initiatives to counter russian influence abroad.

Аn employee of the federal agency of the russian federation "rossotrudnichestvo", who has headed its representative office in Belgium, the "russian house" in Brussels, since 2018. She holds a Candidate of Philological Sciences degree and previously taught at moscow State University, MGIMO University, moscow State Linguistic University, and the State University of Management. Since 2012, she worked at the Skolkovo Innovation Center, where she was involved in the international promotion of russian high-tech companies. The representative office headed by Bunina is a structural subdivision of the embassy of the russian federation in Belgium.
Under Bunina's leadership, the "russian house" in Brussels participated in promoting russian educational projects associated with temporarily occupied Crimea. In particular, the representative office's website published announcements about the international young readers' competition "Living Classics", whose grand prize was a trip to the Artek Children's Center on the temporarily occupied Ukrainian peninsula. In 2023, winners of the competition from a russian Sunday school in the Belgian city of Ghent received trips to Artek. In addition, a journalistic investigation into the activities of russian educational institutions in Belgium uncovered educational materials depicting the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as part of the russian federation. The director of the school concerned denied that these materials were used.
On September 20, 2026, the official Telegram channel of the "russian house" in Brussels, headed by Bunina, disseminated a statement by the head of "rossotrudnichestvo", Ihor Chaika, directed against Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, following his call to close russian cultural centers abroad. The statement referred to the Ukrainian authorities as the "Kyiv тazi regime" and the "Kyiv junta", while comparing the Ukrainian minister to the literary character Sharikov. In this way, the representative office's information resources were used to disseminate anti-Ukrainian statements made by the agency's leadership.
Under Bunina's leadership, the "russian house" in Brussels also regularly organizes events dedicated to russian state historical-patriotic themes, including "Immortal regiment" campaigns, "Victory Dictation" events, screenings of russian military-historical films, and memorial ceremonies marking "victory day". In February 2024, the representative office organized a screening of the film "Panfilov's 28 Men" to mark the russian defender of the fatherland day. In May 2025 and 2026, "Immortal regiment" events were held in Belgium with the participation of representatives of the russian community and diplomatic missions of the russian federation. Bunina also personally participated in memorial events alongside the ambassador of the russian federation to Belgium, Denys Honchar, and representatives of the embassy's military staff.
Bunina maintains cooperation with russian diplomatic missions, state organizations, and compatriot associations in Belgium. In particular, in 2022, she participated in a conference of russian compatriots dedicated to the activities of the russian diaspora and the concept of the "russian world". In August 2025, she held a working meeting with the ambassador of the russian federation to Belgium, Denys Honchar, during which they discussed the future activities of the "russian house". In addition, Bunina participated in international historical conferences and events attended by representatives of russian state institutions and political figures.

Oleg Ksenofontov is a russian civil servant who has headed the representative office of the federal agency of the russian federation "rossotrudnichestvo" in Austria, the "russian house" in Vienna, since 2021. He previously held this position until 2011, after which he headed the Directorate of russian Centers of Science and Culture Abroad at the agency's central office. He subsequently headed the "russian house" in Berlin until autumn 2016 and worked as a senior adviser at the embassy of the russian federation in Germany. In October 2025, he received a letter of appreciation from the president of the russian federation, v. putin, for his professional activities.
On September 20, 2026, the official Telegram channel of the "russian house" in Vienna, headed by Ksenofontov, disseminated a statement by the head of "rossotrudnichestvo", Ihor Chaika, directed against Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, following his call to close russian cultural centers abroad. The statement referred to the Ukrainian authorities as the "Kyiv тazi regime" and the "Kyiv junta". It also disseminated claims about the alleged subordination of Ukraine's leadership to "globalist elites", its refusal to hold elections, and its betrayal of the history and faith of Ukrainians. I. Chaika announced his intention to continue the activities of "russian houses" in Europe and introduce a microgrant program for foreigners who share russian values.
Ksenofontov personally participates in promoting russian state cultural and historical-memorial projects in Austria. In particular, in December 2022, during the roundtable discussion "Strategic russian-Austrian Partnership in Times of Change", he delivered a presentation on the historical-memorial activities of the "russian house" in Vienna and the preparation of a documentary film about Peter I's visit to Austria. The event was attended by representatives of russian state institutions, businesses, and public associations, who discussed prospects for russian-Austrian cooperation amid international sanctions and the deterioration of political relations following the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the russian federation.
Under Ksenofontov's leadership, the "russian house" in Vienna regularly organizes events dedicated to russian state historical-patriotic themes. In particular, on May 8, 2026, the representative office organized a concert marking the 81st anniversary of the victory over nazism in World War II, featuring soloists from a russian state academic orchestra. On the same day, the institution opened an exhibition organized by the russian victory Museum to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of soviet military commander Heorhii Zhukov. For May 9, 2026, the representative office announced events in Vienna, including an "Immortal regiment" march from Maria-Theresien-Platz to Schwarzenbergplatz and a concert near the monument to soviet soldiers. In September 2026, the "russian house" also announced the exhibition "Not to Be Forgotten", prepared by the russian Historical Society, the "History of the Fatherland" Foundation, and the Federal Archival Agency of the russian federation, as well as a screening of the russian feature film "Nuremberg" about the Nuremberg trials, with German subtitles.
In November 2025, during events marking the 50th anniversary of the russian Center of Science and Culture in Vienna, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the russian federation Dmytro Liubinskyi acknowledged the institution's activities under the leadership of Ksenofontov. In particular, he emphasized its involvement in organizing memorial events, the "Immortal regiment" march, and remembrance marches in Mauthausen. D. Liubinskyi also described the center as part of the activities of the embassy of the russian federation in Austria and reported that Ksenofontov had received a letter of appreciation from the president of the russian federation.
In June 2026, Ksenofontov represented "rossotrudnichestvo" in Switzerland during the opening of the new premises of the Suvorov Museum in the town of Schwanden (Canton of Glarus). The event was also attended by representatives of the embassies of the russian federation and belarus, russian public organizations, and cultural institutions. Ksenofontov participated in presenting the museum's founder, Walter Geler, with a "rossotrudnichestvo" diploma "For Active Contributions to the Development of International Humanitarian Relations".
In June 2025, Ksenofontov also participated in an event marking the 65th anniversary of the russian compatriot association "Motherland" in Austria. During the meeting, on behalf of the "russian house", he presented the organization with a letter of appreciation for developing international humanitarian and public relations. The activities of the representative office involve maintaining contacts with russian diplomatic missions, state cultural organizations, and compatriot associations in Europe.

Аn employee of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo", who has served as acting head of its representative office in Spain, the "russian house" in Madrid, since at least November 2024. In particular, on November 30, 2024, she participated in the VIII Youth Forum of russian Compatriots of Spain and Andorra, and throughout 2025–2026, she represented the institution at other events. The official responsibilities of the Madrid representative office include providing information support for the foreign and domestic policies of the russian federation, supporting russian compatriots, cooperating with governmental and public organizations, and interacting with the embassy of the russian federation in Spain. The federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" has been under EU sanctions since July 2022 for disseminating kremlin propaganda, promoting the concept of the "russian world", and supporting the policies of the russian federation concerning the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
During Zhuravlova's leadership, the official information resources of the "russian house" in Madrid disseminated materials aimed at legitimizing the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories. In particular, on September 30, 2026, the institution's Telegram channel published a post dedicated to the so-called "day of reunification of the 'DPR', 'LPR', Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions with the russian federation". The publication portrayed russia's illegal attempt to annex parts of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as "reunification" with the russian federation. Similar materials were disseminated on the anniversaries of the attempted annexation of Crimea. In particular, on March 18, 2025, and March 18, 2026, the channel published messages marking the so-called "day of reunification of Crimea with russia", portraying the temporary occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula as the "restoration of historical justice".
In March 2026, the "russian house" in Madrid, headed by Zhuravlova, joined an international campaign organized by "rossotrudnichestvo" and RT Documentary to screen the propaganda film "Crimea. Rebirth", dedicated to the 12th anniversary of the temporary occupation of Crimea. The film portrayed the events of 2014 as the result of an expression of the will of Crimea's population and disseminated claims about allegedly positive changes following its "incorporation" into the russian federation. In this way, foreign cultural venues were used to promote the russian interpretation of the events of 2014 and materials aimed at justifying the temporary occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula.
The official Telegram channel of the "russian house" in Madrid also disseminated publications supporting the russian political and military leadership. In particular, on October 7, 2026, it published a birthday greeting to putin, and on October 24, 2026, a congratulatory message marking the day of special-purpose units of the armed forces of the russian federation.
The representative office headed by Zhuravlova also participated in disseminating russian state information and historical-patriotic projects among young people and foreign audiences. In particular, on October 16, 2026, the Telegram channel of the "russian house" published information about the "Road to victory" competition for russian teenage compatriots, and on October 1, 2026, an invitation for foreign journalists to participate in the "Honest View" international media award organized by "rossotrudnichestvo". The representative office also organized events commemorating the russian victory day, including participation in the "Immortal regiment" campaign and memorial ceremonies in Spain.
Zhuravlova personally participates in activities involving russian compatriots and youth organizations in Spain. In particular, on September 13, 2026, she delivered a welcoming address at the XX All-Spain Conference of the Union of Organizations of russian Compatriots of Spain and Andorra. In her speech, she emphasized the contribution of compatriots to preserving the russian language, culture and historical memory, as well as the importance of further cooperation among their organizations. Conference participants identified support for russian educational projects, work with children and young people, strengthening ties among compatriot organizations, and promoting russian culture as their priorities. Following the event, delegates were elected to attend the World Thematic Conference of russian Compatriots, scheduled for October 28–29, 2026, in Moscow.
On June 20, 2025, Zhuravlova participated in the opening of the "Alley of Friendship" between russia and Spain in the town of A Estrada, Pontevedra Province. The event was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of russian "people's diplomacy" and was attended by representatives of local authorities and russian organizations, including Oleksandr Vasylenko, the ataman of Cossack communities in Spain. During the ceremony, Zhuravlova stated that the alley should become a symbol of friendship and the strengthening of relations between the peoples despite political challenges. The event also marked the launch of an international Cossack religious procession involving representatives of Cossack communities from European countries.

A russian journalist, she has headed the Italian branch of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo"—the "russian house" in Rome—since June 2019. She is the daughter of russian Senator, former state duma deputy, and television host Alexei Pushkov. She previously worked as a journalist for the russian state television channel RT, and since 2015, she has worked at the All-russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), where she produced segments for TV host Dmitry Kiselyov. In June 2022, the Italian analytical project Decode39 included Pushkova on a list of russian representatives who, following the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, participated in Italian television debates and promoted the kremlin’s position.
On March 14, 2026, in collaboration with the russian embassy in Italy, she opened the Second Conference of "russia–Italy" Friendship Associations in Rome, titled "Crimea: History and the Present," timed to coincide with the 12th anniversary of the temporary occupation of Crimea. As part of the conference, an exhibition by russian artist Oleg Putnin titled "The Lavender Sea," dedicated to Crimea after 2014, was presented, and an RT documentary titled "Crimea: Rebirth" was screened, which promoted claims of allegedly positive changes on the peninsula following its temporary occupation by the russian federation. In her speech, Pushkova quoted one of the conference participants, who called Crimea a bridge between East and West and a space for developing cooperation between russia and Italy. During the event, russian ambassador to Italy Alexei Paramonov spread claims about an alleged coup d’état in Ukraine in 2014, accused the Ukrainian government of starting the war in Donbas, and justified the russian invasion as necessary to protect the population.
In February 2026, the "russian house" in Rome, headed by Pushkova, announced an exhibition titled "The Mariupol Theater: A Story of Rebirth," dedicated to the reconstruction of the drama theater in the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol. The exhibition was organized by the russian publication "New Regions of russia."
On July 26, 2026, Pushkova took part in an event during which accusations were leveled against Ukraine regarding the alleged deliberate killing of children in Donbas. The event took place at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome and was timed to coincide with the "Day of Remembrance for Children—Victims of the War in Donbas," established by the russian occupation authorities. It was organized by the russian embassy in Italy, "russian house," and the Italian association Aiutateci a Salvare i Bambini. An announcement on the "russian house"’s official websites claimed that the war in Donbas in 2014 was allegedly unleashed by the "Kyiv terrorist regime" against its own civilian population. During the ceremony, russian ambassador Paramonov accused Ukraine of causing the deaths of 369 children and wounding more than 4,000 minors. After the service, an exhibition titled "Under the Sky of War: Drawings by Children of Donbas" was presented, and video footage about the deceased children was shown. The event was accompanied by the spread of anti-Ukrainian narratives aimed at shifting the blame for the consequences of the war onto Ukraine.
In May 2025, Pushkova joined a russian cultural project related to the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol. According to open sources, she facilitated the transfer of a collection of works by Italian artists Enzo and Peppe Rosamilla to the Mariupol Local History Museum, which is under the control of the russian occupation administration. On May 23, 2025, a corresponding agreement was signed in Moscow with the support of the russian ministry of culture. The transfer took place as part of the russian project "New Art in New Museums," aimed at expanding museum collections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which the russian federation refers to as its "new regions."
On September 4, 2025, Pushkova opened an event at the "russian house" in Rome dedicated to combating alleged "russophobia" in Italy. In her speech, she criticized the cancellation of a concert by russian conductor Valery Gergiev in Caserta, linking this decision to the "aggressive rhetoric" of the Italian media. During the event, there was a presentation of the book "De russofobia" by journalist Vincenzo Lorusso, the author of the Telegram channel "Donbass Italia", which operates from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
The foreword to the book was written by Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the russian ministry of foreign affairs. The publication contains claims of alleged systemic discrimination against russians, censorship of russian media, and the suppression of alternative views on the war against Ukraine. An RT documentary titled "russophobia: A History of Hate," dedicated to a similar topic, was also screened.

An employee of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" who, since at least September 2023, has been serving as the acting head of its representative office in France—the "russian house" in Paris. Under her leadership, the institution implements russian state-sponsored cultural, educational, and historical-patriotic projects, including programs designed to involve foreign children and youth in events held in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
On April 3, 2024, she personally participated in the presentation of the international contest "People of Artek," the winners of which received trips to the "Artek" children’s center in the temporarily occupied Crimea. An online meeting with French schoolchildren and their parents took place at the "russian house" in Paris, during which representatives of russian state agencies explained the conditions for participating in the contest and the opportunity to visit Crimea. Zhilina congratulated the participants and emphasized that France’s involvement in this international initiative would be a landmark event. Also participating in the event were Alexander Alimov, director of the department for multilateral humanitarian cooperation and cultural ties at the russian ministry of foreign affairs, and Roman Romanov, coordinator of the "World of Opportunities" party project of the "United russia" party. Alimov invited French schoolchildren to visit "Artek," presenting the temporarily occupied Ukrainian peninsula as russian territory.
According to open sources, 248 schoolchildren from 135 educational institutions in 18 countries participated in the "People of Artek" competition in 2024, from which 100 winners were selected. From July 15 to August 5, 2024, 78 children from 15 countries, including France, Germany, and Finland, attended an international session at "Artek" on the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. During their stay at the camp, participants took part in events organized by the "Club of Friends of russia" in collaboration with the "United russia" party and met with representatives of russian government agencies. Such programs helped involve foreign children in events organized by the russian federation in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
On February 5, 2026, Zhilina opened an international conference in Paris marking the 83rd anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. In her speech, she emphasized the role of soviet troops in turning the tide of World War II. As part of the event, an exhibition by the russian "Battle of Stalingrad" Foundation, titled "Stalingrad in the Fate of France," was presented, dedicated to soviet-French military cooperation. russian and French historians, representatives of civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions participated in the conference. The event was part of the historical and commemorative activities of the russian mission in France.
In October 2026, Zhilina helped organize an international educational session titled "Talent for Growth: In-Demand Fields and Support Tools for African and European Students in russia," which took place at the "russian house" in Paris. The event was dedicated to attracting international students to study at russian institutions of higher education, particularly through state-funded quotas.

An employee of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" who, since at least 2021, has held the position of deputy director of the "russian house" (russian center for science and sulture) in Berlin, and in 2026 served as its acting director. She previously represented the institution at cultural events and also publicized the "russian house’s" activities related to the maintenance of russian gravesites in Germany.
During Nekrasova’s tenure in leadership positions, the "russian house" in Berlin was used to showcase content from russian state media that disseminated anti-Ukrainian narratives. In particular, on October 26, 2022, the institution’s movie theater hosted a screening of the documentary "The Holocaust: Threads of Memory," created by Paula Slier, a journalist for the russian propaganda channel RT. The film drew parallels between the events of World War II and modern-day Ukraine, portraying Ukrainians as nazis. According to open sources, after 2022, other RT materials containing similar accusations against Ukraine were also shown in the mission’s cinema hall.
In January 2025, the "russian House" in Berlin organized a performance of the russian play "Legends of Invalidenstraße," dedicated to life in "old Odessa." Coverage of the event featured images of the city associated with the russian cultural and historical sphere. According to open sources, the play was used to promote the narrative that Odessa allegedly belongs to russia. The representative office also hosted screenings of the russian TV series "A Kid’s Word: Blood on the Asphalt," language clubs, and other cultural events for German- and russian-speaking audiences.
On May 9, 2025, events marking russia’s "victory day" took place at the "russian house" in Berlin. Published photographs show visitors in military uniforms and clothing bearing putin’s image. In another photograph, taken near the building, a flag can be seen bearing the inscription "Odessa – a russian city!!! For victory!" The use of such symbols indicates the presence at the events of narratives aimed at denying Odessa’s Ukrainian identity.
In December 2023, a bookstore opened on the premises of the "russian house," offering works by authors on sanctions lists, russian literature on military and patriotic themes, and children’s products featuring images of weapons. In particular, the store sold arts-and-crafts kits for children that included molds shaped like grenades, tanks, and pistols, as well as images of armed military personnel. These items were sold during the russian federation’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
On September 1, 2026, the German government announced the termination of the intergovernmental agreement governing the activities of the "russian house" in Berlin. The decision was made after German authorities held russia responsible for an attempted sabotage involving a drone carrying explosives at the Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4, 2026.
According to media reports, documents from the French Ministry of the Interior, prepared in connection with the expulsion of the former head of RT France, Ksenia Fedorova, noted that the "russian house" in Berlin was used by russian intelligence services as a cover.
On September 8, 2026, Nekrasova, along with other employees of the "russian house" and their family members, left Germany and, in comments to russian media, criticized the German authorities’ decision to shut down the representative office.
On September 10, 2026, Igor Chaika, head of "rossotrudnichestvo", met with staff members of the Berlin office who had returned to russia and informed them of the possibility of future employment at rossotrudnichestvo’s central office, other "russian houses" abroad, or partner organizations. Six employees were presented with official commendations. The agency’s leadership also announced its intention to continue cooperating with partners in Germany through online formats and a microgrant program.

A russian diplomat who has served as deputy head of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" since August 7, 2026. He previously worked at the russian ministry of foreign affairs, specifically in the department for compatriots abroad and the secretariat of the minister of foreign affairs, and headed the council of young diplomats at the russian mnistry of foreign affairs. Prior to his appointment, he also chaired the commission on international humanitarian and youth cooperation of the public council under "rossotrudnichestvo."
On May 4, 2023, on behalf of the council of young dplomats of the russian ministry of foreign affairs, he issued a public statement defending the russian foreign ministry’s policy in response to the publication of testimonies by current and former diplomats who criticized the full-scale war against Ukraine. In the statement, he disputed the credibility of the testimonies cited, calling their authors "virtual diplomats" and the publication itself a "coordinated information barrage." The statement was accompanied by links to materials on "true patriotism" and the russian campaign "We Don’t Abandon Our Own."
On October 29, 2026, he moderated the session "Municipal diplomacy between russia and Africa: new growth points for humanitarian cooperation" at the "russia–Africa" economic and humanitarian forum in Moscow, with the participation of Denis Profatilov, a representative of the russian occupation administration of the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol. In the program for the international event, Profatilov was introduced as the acting deputy governor of Sevastopol, without any mention of the temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city. During the discussion, representatives of russian authorities, including the occupation administration of Sevastopol, discussed with foreign participants the development of intermunicipal ties and cooperation in the fields of education, culture, the economy, and youth policy.
During that session, Kolpakov advocated for expanding direct contacts between russian and African municipalities, emphasizing the need to move from formal agreements to the implementation of specific joint projects. He identified economic ties, humanitarian and youth initiatives, partnerships in science and education, technology projects, and professional exchanges as priority areas for cooperation. The participation of a representative of the russian occupation administration of the temporarily occupied Sevastopol in an international event served to present the illegally established authorities of the Ukrainian city as part of the russian system of public administration.
In his capacity as deputy head of "rossotrudnichestvo," Kolpakov also participates in the implementation of international youth programs, in particular "New Generation," which aims to involve foreign journalists, diplomats, public figures, and experts in events in the russian federation.

A russian civil servant and FSB lieutenant colonel, he has served as deputy director of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" since June 26, 2026.
According to a journalistic investigation by The Insider dated February 13, 2026, Kleschev previously served in the FSB’s 16th Center (military unit 71330), which specializes in electronic intelligence, specifically the interception, decryption, and processing of electronic communications. He was later transferred to the department for public projects of the russian president’s administration, where he was responsible for African affairs, and in late 2025, to the newly created department for strategic partnerships and cooperation. According to the publication, Kleschev attended a closed-door seminar for department staff dedicated to methods of applying russian "soft power" in the post-soviet space and in Africa. During the seminar, claims were made about an alleged "resurgence of neo-nazism" in Ukraine and the Baltic states, as well as a "totalitarian dictatorship" in Moldova.
In July 2026, he publicly spoke in support of the "russian World" concept as the foundation of the russian federation’s international positioning. In his speech, he referred to russia as a distinct civilization and to putin as one of the country’s main symbols in the world. He also claimed that abroad, there is allegedly no distinction made between russian state and ethno-cultural identities, emphasizing the concepts of the "russian world," russian civilization, and the promotion of the russian language and education.
He called for leveraging the russian federation’s historical, cultural, and technological achievements to foster a positive perception of the country among foreign audiences.
On July 18, 2026, he announced plans to restructure the overseas network of "russian houses," which, in his words, are to become "centers of high-tech, modern representation of russia." He emphasized the need to revise the approaches to the work of these representative offices and expand their activities beyond traditional cultural events. In October 2026, he announced that the agency was introducing digital services at its overseas centers to promote russian technologies and shape the image of the russian federation as a technologically advanced state.
In October 2026, Kleschev presented the policy of expanding the "rossotrudnichestvo" network in African countries. In particular, during the first meeting of the russian-Togolese Intergovernmental Commission in Lomé (Togo), he stated that the agency would continue to expand its international presence despite the alleged "hostile policies of certain Western governments."

A russian civil servant who, since August 24, 2026, has served as deputy head of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo."
In March 2024, she publicly supported the activities of russian volunteer organizations that provide support to russian military personnel during the war against Ukraine. Commenting on the opening of the exhibition "Tomsk Residents in the special military operation" at the Tomsk Regional Museum of Local History, she emphasized that volunteer organizations in the region are assisting russian military personnel around the clock and called on residents of the region to join these efforts. The exhibition featured personal belongings of participants in the russian invasion of Ukraine, samples of products that local businesses and volunteers manufactured for the russian army, as well as materials about fallen servicemen. The exhibition included meetings with participants in the so-called "special military operation," military-patriotic lectures, and workshops on making camouflage nets.
In November 2024, during parliamentary hearings in the Tomsk region, Kiselova emphasized the need to shape young people’s worldview through the education system. In particular, she stated that it is up to educational institutions to determine "with what ideology and what worldview" graduates will complete their studies. The event was dedicated to preserving russian historical memory and "traditional values" and was attended by representatives of the russian Orthodox Church and veterans of the war against Ukraine.
On March 21–22, 2025, she took part in the All-russian patriotic forum "From the Victors of the Great Victory to the Victors of the "special military operation", aimed at fostering a positive image of participants in russia’s war against Ukraine among children and young people. The event was held in the Tomsk region with the support of the russian military-historical society and the victory museum. The participants drew parallels between soviet servicemen from World War II and modern vussian military personnel. Commenting on the forum, Kiselova emphasized the need to preserve the so-called "historical truth" about russian servicemen who have participated or are participating in the war against Ukraine.
In September 2025, during a meeting on the creation of a coordinating council for veterans’ organizations in the Tomsk region, Kiselova presented approaches to involving participants in russia’s war against Ukraine in the educational process and in the patriotic education of schoolchildren. In particular, she reported on efforts to commemorate fallen russian servicemen in schools and colleges and emphasized the need to use the stories of their fellow servicemen as examples of patriotism for students. She also cited the example of involving veterans of the so-called "special military operation" as instructors to work with teenagers at the "Ogonek" children’s camp.
In August 2025, she announced the launch of a new teacher training program in the Tomsk region for the subject "Fundamentals of National Security and Defense," which includes modules on military training and national security issues. According to her, veterans of the so-called special military operation could enroll in this program and, upon completion of their training, would have the opportunity to work as teachers, cadet corps instructors, and organizers of military-patriotic education. Kiselova also reported that classrooms had been equipped with mock small arms and other equipment for the military training of schoolchildren.
After her appointment to "rossotrudnichestvo," Kiselova became involved in developing educational and informational programs for "russian houses" abroad. In particular, on October 9, 2026, at a joint meeting of the public councils under the russian ministry of digital development and rossotrudnichestvo, she stated that these institutions should become platforms for acquiring new knowledge not only for russian compatriots but also for citizens of foreign countries, primarily in the areas of information and financial security, working with online resources and artificial intelligence. At the same meeting, the implementation of russian digital services through the agency’s network of overseas representative offices was discussed.

A russian civil service official who, since January 22, 2024, has served as deputy head of the russian federation’s federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo." He previously worked at the russian embassy in Israel, the federal customs service, the administration of the president of the russian federation, the ministry of education and science, and the ministry of public education of the russian federation. From 2020 to 2024, he served as deputy chairman of the Tver region government.
On May 28, 2024, he publicly confirmed the use of rossotrudnichestvo’s overseas network to disseminate materials aimed at justifying the russian invasion of Ukraine. During a press conference at the international news agency "russia today," he stated that since the beginning of the so-called "special military operation," the agency and its overseas offices have been disseminating information about the "reasons and objectives of the "special military operation" through their own media outlets, as well as public and cultural events. According to him, informational brochures are being prepared for foreign audiences in the languages of the host countries, and screenings of russian documentaries about the war against Ukraine are being organized at "russian houses" abroad. Yemelyanov also emphasized that the network of representative offices makes it possible to identify demand for "a perspective alternative to that of the West."
Among the materials that, according to Yemelyanov, "rossotrudnichestvo" distributes are the RT Documentary films "War Correspondents," "Operation Ukraine: Bewitched by Bandera," "The Cultural Front," "Operation ‘Liberation,’" and "Donbas: Children." These films are dedicated to russian military personnel and the events of the war against Ukraine, and they portray the Ukrainian state and society from the kremlin’s perspective. In particular, the film "Operation Ukraine: Bewitched by Bandera" promotes a narrative about the alleged dominance of nazism in Ukraine, while other materials depict russian military personnel as defenders of the Donbas population.
At the same press conference on May 28, 2024, Yemelyanov participated in an event dedicated to spreading accusations against Ukraine regarding the alleged deliberate killing of Donbas children with Western munitions. The press conference was titled "Ukraine’s Terrorist Regime: The Killing of russian Children by NATO Shells." Along with Yemelyanov, participants included Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador-at-Large of the russian ministry of foreign affairs "on Crimes of the Kyiv Regime," Rodion Miroshnik, an advisor to the head of the russian occupation administration in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk oblast, Yan Gagin; Eleonora Fedorenko, an advisor on children’s rights; and russian actress Yana Poplavskaya. The event participants presented fragments of alleged NATO ammunition with the names of deceased children written on them and announced their intention to hand them over to the UN General Assembly. During the press conference, accusations were leveled against Ukraine and NATO countries, along with calls to halt the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine.
On May 27, 2026, Yemelyanov participated in an international roundtable discussion titled "Issues of Preserving and Protecting Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values in the International Arena," which took place as part of the International Security Forum and was attended by representatives of the russian federation security council, the state duma of the russian federation, russian cultural institutions, and foreign participants. Summing up the event, Yemelyanov called overseas "russian houses" "beacons" of russia’s traditional spiritual and moral values and emphasized their role in ensuring so-called "spiritual sovereignty." During the discussion, russian representatives contrasted russian values with the alleged moral decline of Western countries.
In August 2026, he took part in the opening of the international "School of Historians and Archivists" for winners of the "My Family in History" contest from 12 countries. The project was implemented by "rossotrudnichestvo" with the participation of representatives from russian state scientific and educational institutions, including the Research Institute of Military History at the general staff academy of the armed forces of the russian federation. The program involved foreign participants working with russian archival materials, visiting historical institutions, and familiarizing themselves with the russian interpretation of historical events.

A russian government official who, until November 9, 2026, served as deputy head of the russian federation’s federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo." Previously, he headed the agency’s department for the promotion of international development and humanitarian programs; before that, he worked at the russian ministry of finance. As deputy head, he is responsible for the agency’s international humanitarian programs and financial affairs.
In May 2025, Bogomolov publicly downplayed the significance of russia’s war against Ukraine for European society and advocated for maintaining international contacts with russia despite sanctions. In an interview with the publication "russian humanitarian mission," he claimed that the British are allegedly more concerned about the cold in their own homes than about russia’s so-called "special military operation." He also expressed his conviction that political differences between russia and Western countries would eventually be forgotten, and that economic and humanitarian ties would be restored. Bogomolov also called sanctions a tool for some states to exert influence over others and criticized those who advocate for a complete cessation of cooperation with russia. According to him, "rossotrudnichestvo" should continue its activities in Europe, particularly in France and Italy, despite the current restrictions.
In the same interview, Bogomolov spoke about the use of russian humanitarian aid to shape a positive international image of the russian federation. In particular, he presented the "russia is with You" project, created by "rossotrudnichestvo" to provide informational support for the activities of russian government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and volunteer groups abroad. According to him, one of the project’s main objectives is to ensure that russian aid is recognizable and specifically associated with the russian federation. He emphasized that the agency provides informational support to its partners, helps coordinate their activities with the russian ministry of foreign affairs, and pays special attention to cooperation with the media and social media outreach.
In December 2023, he participated in the "Honest View" international media awards ceremony, organized by rossotrudnichestvo to honor foreign journalists for their coverage of russia. Over 100 journalists attended the event, and the organizers reviewed a total of 250 entries from 51 countries. Bogomolov emphasized the importance of maintaining international dialogue through journalists, whom he described as impartial, especially "in the face of external pressure on russia." At the same time, the organizers introduced a separate category called "Razvesistaya Klukva," which recognized Western media pieces that critically covered the activities of the russian federation.
He also participates in activities involving foreign journalists through "rossotrudnichestvo" programs, which involve collaboration with russian state media. In particular, in June 2025, he spoke to participants in the "New generation" program, who were completing professional internships at Radio Sputnik, part of the "rossiya segodnya" media group. The program was designed to familiarize foreign journalists with the activities of russian news outlets and to shape their perception of russia as an alternative to Western media coverage. Back in November 2021, during a similar project called SputnikPro, Bogomolov stated that the agency was restructuring its operations to establish direct contacts with foreign journalists and representatives of foreign media outlets.

A russian journalist, government official, and politician who headed the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" from 2020 to 2026. He previously served as a state duma deputy for the "United russia" party and as putin's authorized representative in the 2018 presidential election.
After resigning on April 27, 2026, he assumed the position of senior advisor at the "Eurasia" ANO and continued his media work, particularly on Sputnik Radio.
As part of his work as an advisor to the "Eurasia" ANO, he serves as a leading expert on international relations, regularly conducts workshops for students, moderates discussion forums, and participates in specialized media projects and podcasts, where he analyzes the geopolitical agenda.
In addition, he works closely with the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo," particularly on issues related to russian elections in the context of foreign policy.
He is a member of the presidium of the russian public association "Council on Foreign and Defense Policy," which promotes the development and implementation of strategic concepts for russia’s development, as well as its foreign and defense policies; one of its many projects is the Valdai international discussion club.
On April 7, 2026, he publicly confirmed rossotrudnichestvo’s support for the russian invasion of Ukraine. In his statement announcing his resignation, he noted that the agency is subject to EU sanctions due to its "unreserved support for russia’s foreign policy and the special military operation." According to Primakov, due to international restrictions, some of the overseas "russian houses" were closed or suspended, but during his tenure, the agency opened more than 20 partner offices and expanded its presence in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
On his Telegram channel, Primakov systematically spread accusations against Ukraine and its military and political leadership. In particular, on April 26, 2023, commenting on the arson attack on the "russian house" building in Nicosia, Cyprus, he claimed—without providing any evidence—that the attackers, in his opinion, were supporters of the Ukrainian government, most likely Ukrainians. At the same time, he drew a parallel with the events of May 2, 2014, in Odesa, exploiting the tragedy to level accusations against Ukrainians.
On September 29, 2023, Primakov spoke out in support of the criminal prosecution of a Kazakhstani citizen against whom a case had been opened for participating in hostilities on the side of Ukraine. He called it an allied duty to assist in "dealing with various kinds of criminals who have sided with the Kyiv nazi regime."
On November 10, 2023, Primakov called on Ukrainians to resist mobilization into the Ukrainian Defense Forces. In his post, he claimed that the war had allegedly been started by "Nazis and thieves in Kyiv," shifting the blame for russian aggression onto the Ukrainian leadership. The post was intended to discredit Ukraine’s mobilization policy and spread the narrative that the Ukrainian government’s actions were allegedly illegitimate.
On February 28, 2025, Primakov accused the Ukrainian leadership of allegedly seeking to organize "bloody provocations" resulting in mass civilian casualties, for which russia would supposedly be held responsible.
On September 3, 2026, he published an op-ed for RT titled "Property as a Weapon," in which he proposed using the property of foreign states to finance russian armaments. Commenting on the closure of the "russian house" in Berlin and the corresponding restrictions on German cultural institutions in russia, he called for treating the state assets of countries he termed "hostile" as a potential source of funding for the production of russian drones, shells, ammunition, missiles, tanks, and aircraft.
In July 2025, in an interview with RBC, Primakov admitted to using the agency he heads to deliberately spread provocative claims about Ukrainian history and culture. According to him, on the eve of the closure of the "rossotrudnichestvo" office in Kyiv, the agency organized an event marking the anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s death, during which he was presented as a russian writer. Primakov claimed that Shevchenko allegedly wrote all his works in russian, but admitted that such a statement was intended to provoke the Ukrainian audience.
In April 2025, Primakov spoke of the need to engage with Ukrainian citizens who had emigrated to European countries. In particular, in an interview with the publication "Soyuznoe veche," he emphasized the importance of maintaining contact, through russian cultural centers abroad, with Ukrainians who are critical of the current Ukrainian government. According to Primakov, some Ukrainian citizens attend events at "russian houses," use their libraries, and bring their children to classes.
Additionally, while heading "rossotrudnichestvo," Primakov supported information campaigns aimed at portraying russian military personnel as defenders of the Ukrainian population. In particular, on November 3, 2023, he promoted a trip by Serbian blogger Milan Janković to russian military positions in the Donetsk region and announced the screening of a documentary film about this trip at the "russian house" in Belgrade.
In November 2024, Primakov received the "10 Years of Crimea’s reunification with russia" medal from the russian occupation administration of temporarily occupied Crimea. The award ceremony took place during the Yalta International Forum in Moscow, organized with the participation of russian government officials.
In January 2026, Primakov announced that rossotrudnichestvo was collaborating with entities linked to a russian private military company that had previously established "russian houses" in Mali and the Central African Republic. In an interview with the Vedomosti, he stated that several employees of that organization had moved to work for "rossotrudnichestvo".

A russian government official who is part of the russian fderation’s government apparatus and exerts direct influence on domestic and foreign affairs in russian politics and diplomacy.
As head of the federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo", he actively promotes and strengthens the position of russian education, science, and culture among foreign citizens; supports and preserves historical and memorial sites; supports russian "peacekeepers" and civic associations of russians abroad; and also oversees the implementation of various russian programs and projects in the international community.
He previously served as chairman of the agency’s public council and, since March 2025, has held the position of deputy head.
The federal agency "rossotrudnichestvo" (which is subject to EU sanctions for spreading kremlin propaganda, promoting the concept of the "russian world", and supporting the russian federation’s policy regarding the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine) is represented in over 70 countries worldwide by foreign missions, which since 2021 have been informally referred to as "russian houses".
Igor Chaika is the younger son of former russian federation general prosecutor Yuri Chaika.
He engaged in business activities in the temporarily occupied Crimea and benefited from his cooperation with the russian authorities. In particular, he developed his business through government contracts and his father’s official position, and he also provided financial support to the russian government and benefited from its activities.
On September 19, 2026, Chaika issued an anti-Ukrainian statement in response to a call by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga to close overseas "russian houses". He called the Ukrainian government the "Kyiv nazi regime" and accused it of alleged intolerance toward russians since 2014. Chaika also claimed that Western "globalist elites" were allegedly using the Ukrainian leadership to hinder the development of countries in Asia and Africa. At the end of his address, he called on the international audience not to succumb to the influence of "the Kyiv junta, which has destroyed Ukraine’s statehood, betrayed the faith and history of Ukrainians, and cowardly refused to hold elections". Chaika’s statement was disseminated by the official information channels of rossotrudnichestvo’s foreign missions; specifically, on September 20, 2026, it was published by the Telegram channels of the "russian houses" in Vienna and Brussels. Thus, the message containing accusations against the Ukrainian authorities was disseminated not only through the agency’s central resources but also through its international network, which targets foreign and russian-speaking audiences.
In the same statement, Chaika confirmed his intention to continue rossotrudnichestvo’s activities in European countries despite Ukraine’s calls to restrict the work of its representative offices. He reported 11 new requests to open "russian houses" abroad and announced the launch of a microgrant program for foreigners who share russian values and are interested in cooperating with the russian federation. Earlier, on September 8, 2026, Chaika signed agreements to open 11 new partner "russian houses", eight of which were planned to be located in African countries, two in Armenia, and one in Thailand. The expansion of the network took place against the backdrop of the closure of a number of the agency’s representative offices in European countries due to russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the associated security risks.
On September 25, 2026, Chaika publicly opposed an initiative by russian opposition figures to establish "houses of democracy" abroad in place of rossotrudnichestvo representative offices. He called the authors of the initiative "traitors serving the interests of foreign states" and accused them of carrying out orders from foreign entities, specifically of conducting information attacks against the russian federation. He also stated that russia would defend its property and interests abroad "by all means available".
Chaika is also involved in implementing rossotrudnichestvo’s international historical and ideological projects. Specifically, on September 25, 2025, he spoke as the agency’s deputy head at a strategic videoconference with coordinators of the network of russian history clubs, which at that time were active in 32 countries. During his speech, Chaika accused the leadership of several foreign countries of allegedly rewriting the history of World War II and emphasized the need to counter "historical falsification" and to disseminate russian historical materials among young people. According to the agency, over the course of the year, the clubs held more than 200 events, including lectures, film screenings, historical discussions, and conferences. Representatives of russian state educational and scientific institutions, including the Institute of military history at the general staff academy of the armed forces of the russian federation, were involved in these activities.
On May 9, 2026, in a statement marking "victory day", Chaika again raised the issue of the alleged falsification of history in foreign countries. He stated that "rossotrudnichestvo" and overseas "russian houses" systematically work to preserve the so-called historical truth by organizing events such as the "Immortal regiment", "St. George’s ribbon", "Victory dictation", and other russian state "historical-patriotic projects". The agency uses these events to disseminate the official russian interpretation of World War II history to foreign audiences.
In addition, Chaika is named in U.S. and EU sanctions documents regarding the financing of russian political influence operations in Moldova. According to a U.S. Department of the Treasury report dated October 26, 2022, in the run-up to the 2021 parliamentary elections in Moldova, Chaika, together with russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov, developed plans to weaken president Maia Sandu’s political position and bring the country back into the kremlin’s sphere of influence.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury also reported that in 2021, a representative linked to the FSB discussed with Chaika the production of propaganda videos intended to influence Moldovan voters. According to U.S. assessments, this material was intended to reduce voter turnout among the Moldovan diaspora and pro-European voters while mobilizing the pro-russian electorate. On May 30, 2023, the EU imposed sanctions on I. Chaika for providing financial support to FSB projects aimed at destabilizing Moldova. The rationale for the decision states that he acted as an intermediary in the transfer of funds to entities linked to the FSB, whose activities were aimed at establishing the kremlin’s control over the country.