Vladimir Putin has awarded 17 employees of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS), listing the names of the honorees in his decree of Nov. 9, 2026. The European Union had earlier imposed sanctions on RTRS for spreading Russian propaganda in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
The Order of Honor went to Andrey Khromov, director of the RTRS treasury; Mikhail Nebolsin, deputy CEO; and Dmitry Nazarov, director of the Moscow Regional Center. Viktor Potanin, director of the information support department, was awarded the Order of Friendship. Ten more employees received medals of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, First and Second Class, and three were given honorary titles. Among them are Almaz Suleimanov, director of the department for mobilization training and civil defense, Tatyana Manets, chief accountant, and Margarita Sukhanova, deputy CEO.
In addition to sanctions against RTRS, the EU also previously imposed personal restrictions on its CEO, Andrey Romanchenko, and on Vladimir Naidenov, who heads the department for coordinating the development of communications infrastructure in the occupied territories of Ukraine. As stated in the sanctions document, RTRS played a key role in replacing Ukrainian television broadcasting systems in the occupied territories, installing in their place a network that transmits content approved by the Russian authorities. In the EU’s assessment, Russian authorities are seeking to suppress dissent, spread Russian narratives, and restrict residents’ access to independent sources of information. RTRS employees directly contributed to setting up Russian television broadcasting in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
This is not the first time Putin has rewarded RTRS employees for their efforts. In August 2020, 300 team members — including Khromov, Nebolsin, and Sukhanova — were commended for facilitating Russia’s transition to digital television broadcasting. In August 2026, on the occasion of RTRS’s 25th anniversary, Putin awarded the Order of Honor to the entire staff of the enterprise.
