Ukrainian Intelligence Uncovers Inflated Audience Numbers for Russian State Media

Russian State Media Shows Suspicious Growth as Private Media Audience Plummets

A concerning trend has emerged in Russia’s media landscape, according to intelligence materials recently distributed by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (SZRU). Data from the first nine months of 2025 reveals a dramatic decline in private media audiences while state-controlled outlets experience explosive—and potentially artificial—growth.

According to metrics from LiveInternet and Digital Budget, major private Russian publications have suffered significant audience losses. Business newspaper “RBC” lost more than 38% of its viewership, news website Lenta.ru dropped by 41%, and popular publication “Arguments and Facts” saw a staggering 44% decrease in audience.

Meanwhile, state-backed media resources have demonstrated what the SZRU describes as “seemingly unnatural” growth patterns. The state news agency TASS recorded a remarkable 727% increase in views, reaching 224.9 million. “Komsomolskaya Pravda,” a pro-government newspaper, saw its audience grow by 227%, while Russia Today, the international broadcasting network funded by the Russian government, expanded its reach by 76%.

“Such indicators create a picture of a mass ‘click voting’ for Kremlin messages, but it is more about algorithmic manipulation and bot boosting than organic audience interest,” the SZRU report states. “In an environment where censorship is tightened, and ‘Zen’ promotes state sources, users effectively find themselves in an information bubble, deprived of alternative viewpoints.”

The intelligence agency suggests these metrics point to a coordinated propaganda campaign rather than legitimate audience shifts. Instead of allowing natural content competition, the Russian government appears to be manufacturing an artificial advantage for state media outlets, thereby demonstrating supposed “achievements” in controlling the information space.

This trend occurs against a backdrop of increasing internet regulation in Russia. Beginning March 1, 2026, the Russian government will have expanded powers to block websites and disconnect the Russian internet segment from the global network if authorities determine prohibited content is being distributed.

Media analysts note that this growing disparity between state and private media consumption patterns represents a significant acceleration of a long-term strategy by the Kremlin to dominate Russia’s information ecosystem. The use of recommendation algorithms, particularly through Yandex’s “Zen” platform, appears to be channeling Russian internet users toward government-approved news sources while marginalizing independent outlets.

The dramatic audience shifts also reflect broader challenges facing independent media in Russia. Over the past several years, numerous private outlets have faced regulatory pressure, funding constraints, and legal harassment. Many have been forced to close, operate from abroad, or submit to government oversight, fundamentally altering the media landscape.

International press freedom organizations have expressed alarm at these developments. The artificial inflation of state media audiences compounds concerns about genuine access to diverse information sources for Russian citizens. As traditional media outlets face mounting pressure, social media platforms and messaging apps have become increasingly important alternative channels for Russians seeking perspectives beyond state-controlled narratives.

The SZRU’s report provides a quantitative dimension to what media watchdogs have long described as a qualitative shift in Russia’s information space—from a diverse ecosystem with competing viewpoints toward a more centralized, state-dominated model where alternative perspectives become increasingly marginalized.

With the impending implementation of even stricter internet controls in 2026, observers worry that this disparity between state and private media influence will only widen, further limiting the ability of Russian citizens to access diverse information sources.