“Switched” to another job
Sergey Brilev discussed his departure on social media, noting that the owning company of a major platform had been labeled an extremist organization. As he approached his 50th birthday on July 24, Brilev looked back at the arc of his career and reflected on what he sees as a pivotal shift. He expressed mixed feelings about a milestone that brought him a formal academic title of candidate of historical sciences, while his doctoral thesis had already been completed years earlier.
In a 2013 moment aboard an airplane, while engaged in the programs entrusted to him and driven by his deep affection for journalism, Brilev admitted feeling both capable and exhausted by repeatedly reviewing others’ texts. This crossroads led him to a desire to craft and assemble his own works with care and depth.
He noted that the year closed with a clear turning point. Early in the season he marked twenty years as a television host on a major news program, symbolically reflecting on how his career had evolved. He wondered why he had been placed at the level of assistant manager, and then described moving toward roles where his unique knowledge and skills could truly shine.
During the same period, Brilev planned a major travel itinerary to Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Ecuador. He aimed to present on screen a distinctive Latin American perspective on global affairs. He emphasized that Latin America is not unfamiliar territory for him, noting his birthplace in Havana and his long residence in Ecuador and Uruguay. His education includes studies at the Montevideo Institute of Foreign Languages, in addition to a program at MGIMO’s International Faculty of Journalism.
On the road, Brilev produced 33 reports and short films, a tally he views as a strong performance. He announced a forthcoming documentary project titled The World Divide, shot across Latin America, with plans to release it soon. He also pledged to deliver two additional tapes by year’s end in Russian and Spanish to serve both Russian and Latin American audiences.
Brilev explained that extended live broadcasts did not suit his preferred working rhythm. He preferred shorter live segments from Latin America but saw long-form work as a better fit for written formats like documentary films and in-depth reports.
Returning to Moscow at the end of spring, Brilev faced illness that required hospital care and surgery in early May. After several weeks of rehabilitation, he recovered enough to travel again and resumed his professional activities as health allowed.
Breakup rumors
Brilev stepped away from Vesti on a Saturday, coinciding with the onset of Russia’s military operations abroad. Rumors circulated that his departure was linked to dual citizenship — Russia and the United Kingdom — a detail he had acknowledged publicly in 2018. The broadcaster later clarified that he remained with the national broadcaster and was on assignment abroad as part of ongoing work.
Addressing the reports directly, Brilev stated that he was in Brazil that night, traveling via Emirates and Armenia, and he had just appeared on Rossiya-24 as part of ongoing reporting. He added that he was developing a series on how various nations reacted to the events in Ukraine.
On March 31, it was reported that the United Kingdom had placed him on a sanctions list, labeling him as a figure connected to propaganda and state media supporting misinformation about the invasion in Ukraine. The designation sparked discussions about the role of media figures in shaping international narratives and the consequences of state actions on journalism.
In summary, Brilev’s career pivot reflects a journalist’s ongoing search for a form that blends personal voice with broad storytelling. His work across Latin America, his shift toward documentary formats, and his public statements about health and professional evolution all signal a deliberate move toward content that speaks to both regional audiences and an international readership seeking context and insight within current events.