Putin’s team plans to dismiss Russia’s chief propagandist Kiselyov — they’ve decided to get rid of him and replace him

Russian propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov could immediately lose his role as host of the program "Vesti nedeli" on the Rossiya 1 channel and his chair as general director of the Russia Segodnya agency. The Kremlin has accumulated complaints about the 72-year-old propagandist. A replacement for Kiselyov has already been sought from among their own propagandists.

The Moscow Times reports the preparation of personnel changes, citing its own sources. According to them, in the new TV season Kiselyov’s spot on the air could temporarily be taken by propagandist and former State Duma deputy Yevgeny Popov, better known as a host and the husband of Olga Skabeyeva. At the same time as the host rotation, the Kremlin administration plans to change the program’s format.

The outlet’s sources claim that the Kremlin has been accumulating grievances against Kiselyov for years. Reasons for dissatisfaction include a drop in audience interest in "Vesti nedeli," the host’s confrontational nature, intolerance of others’ opinions, and refusal to heed recommendations from presidential administration officials.

According to sources, the changes will affect more than just the TV broadcast. Kiselyov is reportedly planned to be dismissed from the post of general director of the Russia Segodnya news agency, which he has held since 2013. Another person may be appointed to his position, while Kiselyov himself would be offered an "honorary pension post."

"Darker clouds are circling over the 'pit' (the VGTRK headquarters). He says he has become a victim of intrigues and denunciations," a source told The Moscow Times.

Sources say Kiselyov already knows about the preparation of such a decision and is reacting to it painfully.

How Kiselyov became the face of Kremlin propaganda

Kiselyov is one of the most recognizable faces of Russian propaganda. The Russian ruler personally appointed him general director of the Russia Segodnya agency, created in 2013. Kiselyov gained wide notoriety after a scandalous statement during the occupation of Crimea about Russia’s ability to "turn the USA into radioactive ash." The propagandist is under U.S. and European sanctions.

Earlier, Informator reported that a pro-Russian Z-blogger said moods in Crimea had collapsed and that Crimeans were massively losing trust in the occupation authorities because of the fuel and food crisis on the peninsula. We also wrote that State Duma deputy Milonov publicly spoke about people being killed during the war against Ukraine, confirming it in an interview without any remorse.