Margarita Simonyan
Margarita Simonyan is a Russian journalist and media manager of Armenian origin. She has headed the state-funded television network RT (formerly Russia Today) since 2005, and has served as editor-in-chief of the international news agency Rossiya Segodnya since 2013. She is known for her vocal support of Kremlin policy and frequent public statements backing the Russian government's positions.
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EU extends Ukraine sanctions for three years but drops Usmanov and Fridman, prompting Ukrainian criticism
On 22 September, the EU Council extended Ukraine-related sanctions for 36 months until 22 September 2029, the first time the regime has been renewed for three years instead of the usual six-month cycle. In the same decision, the EU removed Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the list. Ukraine called the delisting "shameful" and unjustified, and the Baltic states announced national sanctions in response. A day later, on 23 September, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned French citizen Martin Ryan, who had been sentenced to ten years in prison on espionage charges that France rejects.