Leonid Sviridov, a journalist with the Rossiya Segodnya media group and a former correspondent for RIA Novosti in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, has died at the age of 60. The cause of death is currently being determined by medical experts, and no official conclusion has been released yet. Across a long career, Sviridov reported from capital cities and regional centers alike, delivering coverage that shaped readers’ understanding of political developments, social change, and cultural conversations across Central and Eastern Europe.
Sviridov began filing reports from Poland in 2003, and in 2015 Polish authorities revoked his long-term residence permit in the European Union. The timing followed years of active reporting in the region. The review into the case began in 2014 when security officials opened proceedings tied to his journalistic work. Polish media at the time reported suspicions of espionage connected to his activities. Sviridov sought notification of the AVB decision to pursue a legal remedy, but the request was denied, leaving him without that avenue of challenge.
His professional path started at VGTRK in 1992, where he served as a correspondent in Belarus and later led the Prague office, coordinating coverage across Central and Eastern Europe. Those early assignments helped him build a nuanced understanding of the region’s political shifts, economic transitions, and evolving media landscapes. He continued to engage with Polish topics as a columnist for Sputnik within the Rossiya Segodnya network, contributing analysis and commentary that drew on his broad experience and deep regional memory.
Colleagues describe him as a highly skilled journalist who produced a steady stream of material, conducted exclusive interviews with leaders from Eastern Europe, and maintained a rich grasp of the area’s historical context. His reporting connected current events to longer historical trends, offering readers a grounded perspective on diplomacy, governance, and social change across the region. In this way his work helped illuminate how regional dynamics influence broader European affairs.
Earlier mentions noted the death of Bertrand Blier, the Oscar-winning director, a reminder of the broader cultural circle that forms the backdrop for the era in which Sviridov lived and worked. The passing of such figures underscored the ongoing dialogue between journalism and culture that characterizes public discourse in Europe.