Rising Salaries of Russian Propagandists During the War: An In-Depth Analysis
According to investigations by The Insider, the earnings of Russian propagandists have significantly increased during the ongoing large-scale conflict initiated by Russia against Ukraine.
Despite economic hardships and a recession affecting the country’s internal economy, the incomes of propaganda broadcasters have experienced remarkable growth.
For instance, the spouses of prominent hosts Olga Skabeeva and Yevgeny Popov have increased their incomes by about fifty percent since the start of the full-scale invasion.
They purchased a luxurious mansion near Moscow valued at nearly 1.9 million USD, further illustrating the financial stability and popularity of the propaganda sector in Russia.
Reports indicate that Olga Skabeeva now earns approximately 1.85 million rubles per month (over 23,000 USD), whereas in 2021, she was earning nearly 16,000 USD monthly.
Her husband, State Duma deputy Yevgeny Popov, declared an income of 18.2 million rubles (around 229,000 USD) in 2021, and currently earns about 1.3 million rubles per month from the state channel ‘Russia.’ He also has a salary of 500,000 rubles in the State Duma and periodic income from various enterprises.
It is noteworthy that the television channel ‘Russia,’ which airs shows featuring Popov and Skabeeva, is owned by the state media holding VTRK, led by Oleg Dobrodeyev, whose wealth is estimated in the billions of dollars.
Although Dobrodeyev’s official salary is only 690,000 rubles (approximately 8,700 USD), regular payments from advertising firms and other income sources enable him to sustain a lavish lifestyle.
Similar situations are observed among other top executives of major Russian channels, demonstrating the extent of state propaganda influence on the country’s information space despite economic struggles and sanctions.