Zvezda
Zvezda is a Russian state-run television channel. In 2024, Zvezda expanded its multimedia operations, strengthening its digital platforms and increasing its presence on social media networks as part of the Kremlin’s broader strategy to counter international narratives about the war in Ukraine. Analysts noted a shift toward more aggressive use of video commentary and short-form clips designed for online virality.
Media assets
Television: Zvezda
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Zvezda is a Russian state-owned television channel under the direct control of the Ministry of Defense. This institutional link is undisputed and has been repeatedly confirmed by experts and journalists monitoring the Russian media landscape, including interviews conducted for this project in March 2023 and June 2024. The channel’s governance is therefore inseparable from the state’s military establishment, with editorial and managerial appointments closely aligned with the ministry’s strategic communication objectives.
Source of funding and budget
Zvezda is financed predominantly through federal budget allocations, which function as annual subsidies. In 2020, the channel received approximately RUB 2 billion (around US$27.8 million). This support was slightly reduced in the following two years, with Zvezda obtaining RUB 1.8 billion in both 2021 and 2022, according to media reports. While more recent budgetary data for 2023–2025 is not yet publicly disclosed, Russian press coverage suggests that Zvezda’s state funding has remained stable, with no indication of significant cuts or restructuring in the face of broader fiscal tightening.
Editorial independence
Editorially, Zvezda stands out as one of the most zealous supporters of the Kremlin’s political and military line. In interviews conducted with Russian experts in March 2023 and June 2024, the channel was described as the most ardently loyal television outlet in the country, both in its unqualified endorsement of the authorities and in its combative stance against perceived adversaries of the Russian state. Its news style is characterized by highly assertive rhetoric, often crossing into overtly propagandistic framing when addressing opposition figures, Western governments, and critics of Russia’s military actions.
To date, no domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate the editorial independence of the Zvezda media outlets has been identified.
August 2025