The decision to establish a unified Union State media entity followed a late January gathering of the Supreme State Council of Russia and Belarus. Reporting from News indicates that the media holding will merge two newspapers, Soyuznoe Veche and Soyuz, and will also bring together Belarus–Russia, a television and radio network, along with the Union State magazine published by Komsomolskaya Pravda. [Attribution: SSC meeting report]
Union State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mezentsev stated that the holding will receive funding from the Union State, a budget jointly created by Belarus and Russia. The financing plan accounts for inflation and directs incremental resources to strengthen the media group across its diverse components. About 1 billion Russian rubles have already been set aside for various parts of the holding, and while the entire team is not yet assembled, the project intends to hire experienced professionals who can contribute deep expertise to the enterprise. [Attribution: official announcements and media briefings]
Mezentsev emphasized that a regulatory framework for the Union State media company is in development. The process includes deliberate legal steps to ensure compliance and transparent governance. He also signaled openness to input from media professionals who can help shape the discussion surrounding the Union’s formation and its historical context. [Attribution: regulatory planning notes]
Additionally, the Secretary of State mentioned a resource center to be embedded within the holding, charged with managing content distributed through electronic channels. The organization’s headquarters are planned for Moscow, with a representative office in Minsk. The objective is to have the holding fully operational by early 2025, with a strong focus on digital transformation and modern methods of media delivery. [Attribution: strategic planning documents]
Alexander Malkevich, the first deputy chairman of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation responsible for developing the information community, media and mass communications, explained that creating a convergent editorial team is a central element of the plan. He described the holding as a potential centralized hub for producing news that could be distributed through major traditional outlets across Russia and Belarus. [Attribution: statements made by Malkevich]
In February, discussions emerged about Abkhazia showing interest in joining the Union State. Abkhazia President Aslan Bzhania recalled that the Union State serves as a framework in which independent states reach mutually beneficial terms for forming supranational structures. [Attribution: regional political commentary]
Earlier, the United States imposed sanctions targeting the Union State’s foreign affairs minister. [Attribution: sanctions news]