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Canonical ID: acf-604d717ea104e9a50f3100a27aa055295d132160 · Entity type: Person (reference)
| Property | Value | Lang | Source dataset | Source ID | First seen | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Person:notes | CEO of Edinoe Video LLC. The VK Video platform, managed by Edinoe Video LLC, serves as an important instrument of state propaganda and control over the dissemination of information in Russia. The company is the primary beneficiary of YouTube blocking in Russia. Edinoe Video LLC manages the Russian video hosting platform VK Video (vkvideo.ru), which serves as a Russian analog of YouTube integrated into the ecosystem of the VK social network. Within the framework of state policy aimed at establishing control over the information space, VK Video’s task is to offer Russian users an alternative to YouTube, which refuses to cooperate with Russian authorities on the application of repressive legislation and the removal of content undesirable to state bodies. The state’s objective is to create a directly state-controlled digital environment for Russian internet users and to minimize the influence of foreign platforms. Edinoe Video LLC is part of the VK conglomerate. The parent company VK (VK IPJSC) is under state control through state structures’ dominance over MF Technologies JSC. The principal shareholders include state-owned Gazprom PJSC through Gazprom-Media Holding JSC, the insurance company Sogaz, controlled by individuals close to Vladimir Putin, and the state corporation Rostec. VK’s management includes Stepan Kovalchuk (grandson of Mikhail Kovalchuk, a close associate of Vladimir Putin) and Vladimir Kiriyenko (son of Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration). The operation of alternatives to YouTube, such as VK Video, forms part of the state’s policy to establish control over the information space through the blocking of foreign platforms. In parallel with blockings or throttling of particularly popular foreign services, Russian authorities seek to provide their Russian users with an alternative in order to minimize public discontent with repressive policies. Edinoe Video LLC is the primary beneficiary of the YouTube blocking in Russia. VK Video functions not merely as an analog of YouTube by blocking content undesirable to the authorities but also directly serves a propagandistic role, promoting narratives important to the Kremlin and supporting celebrities and influencers loyal to it. The VK Video platform managed by Edinoe Video LLC serves as an important instrument of state propaganda and control over the dissemination of information in Russia. | ru_acf_bribetakers | acf-604d717ea104e9a50f3100a27aa055295d132160 | ||||