The Death of Tigran Keosayan: From Director to Symbol of Russian Propaganda
26 September 2025 15:55
Tigran Keosayan, a TV presenter, director and propagandist known for his Ukrainophobic statements, has died in Russia. He was the husband of Russia Today editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan.
Simonyan herself announced her husband’s death on Telegram:
“Tigran went to the Creator tonight. Thank you to everyone who prayed. Please do not call me or my family now.”
According to her, he died on the night of September 26, 2025.
Illness and the last years
At the end of December 2024, Keosayan suffered a clinical death and fell into a coma, from which he never came out. No official medical details were disclosed, but Russian media reported that he had been suffering from serious health problems for several years.
His death did not come as a surprise to his close circle, but it caused a wave of comments on social media, ranging from condolences from his Russian colleagues to harsh criticism from Ukrainian users who recalled his propaganda activities.
Biography
- Born: 1966 in Moscow.
- Background: son of Soviet director and screenwriter Edmond Keosayan.
- Career: director, screenwriter, TV presenter, producer. His work includes films and television projects in Russia, as well as shows on state television channels.
However, he has become known internationally primarily as a Kremlin propagandist.
Propaganda statements
In 2021, even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Keosayan threatened that “Russia will be in Kyiv.” He publicly called for the destruction of Ukrainians and spread fake news.
Keosayan has consistently promoted the Kremlin’s narrative of the war in Ukraine. He publicly
- questioned the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government,
- denied Ukraine’s right to independence,
- justified the occupation of Crimea, and demanded that Donetsk and Luhansk regions be “annexed” to Russia.
“We will definitely be in Kyiv. Sooner or later, but sooner rather than later. I don’t want to upset you,” said Keosayan.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Keosayan has repeatedly called for tough measures, urging the Russian authorities to use nuclear weapons and strike Kyiv. His author’s program “International Sawmill” regularly featured anti-Ukrainian propaganda, portraying Ukraine as weak, criminal, corrupt and dependent on the West.
Keosayan systematically questioned the territorial integrity of not only Ukraine. For example, he advised the Russian authorities to “return Alaska” and in 2022 criticized Kazakhstan, calling it “a country with artificial borders,” and accusing the Kazakh authorities of “Russophobia.” This statement on NTV was perceived by Kazakhstan as a threat to its sovereignty, and Keosayan was then included in the persona non grata list. His name was placed in the same register that included terrorists.
Due to such statements, in 2022 he was included in the sanctions lists of the EU, the UK, Canada, and Australia
Context
The death of Keosayan is symbolic for the Russian media environment: he was one of the faces of state propaganda, along with his wife Simonyan. The couple personified the union of political loyalty to the Kremlin and media influence on the masses.
According to experts, the loss of Keosayan will not stop the Russian propaganda machine, but it will reduce Simonyan’s public influence, as the couple often acted as a media duo.
Conclusion
Tigran Keosayan left behind a double legacy: as a director and TV presenter in Russia’s cultural field, and as a propagandist in the political field. His death will be an event for the Russian media environment, but it is unlikely to affect the Kremlin’s strategy in the information war.
