# State-controlled Gazprom takes formal control of Russia's independent NTV television network

Published 2026-09-22. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 1 source.

Status: historical, as of 2026-09-22.

Gazprom, Russia's state-controlled gas company, used debts owed by NTV's parent company to take control of the country's last major independent television network at a shareholders' meeting, replacing its owner and top editors with its own appointees.[1][2][3][4]

- Country: [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)
- Where: Russia
- Level of government: National
- Tactics: Funding and ownership pressure, Licensing and closure of outlets
- Stage: Silence (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/funding_and_ownership_pressure#stage-silence)
- Head of government at the time: [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin)
- Issue of the day: NTV's critical coverage of Russia's second war in Chechnya and of the government of President Vladimir Putin, who had taken office in May 2000.
- Outcome: Sustained, April 14, 2001. The takeover was not reversed; most of NTV's original staff resigned in the following weeks rather than work under the new management.
- Era: The 2000s

## What happened

NTV, founded by media entrepreneur Vladimir Gusinsky, was Russia's most-watched independent television network and had criticized the government's conduct of the war in Chechnya. Gazprom, Russia's state-controlled gas company, had extended loans to Gusinsky's holding company, Media-Most, and after Gusinsky left Russia facing separate criminal proceedings, Gazprom called in the debt and obtained enough shares to control NTV. On April 14, 2001, Gazprom-Media used a shareholders' meeting to take formal control, removing Gusinsky and managing director Yevgeny Kiselyov from the board and installing Alfred Kokh as chairman and Boris Jordan as general director. NTV staff said in a statement, "We realize that the ultimate goal of this meeting ... is establishing full control over our company." Gusinsky and Kiselyov said the takeover was a Kremlin-directed effort to end independent national television under President Vladimir Putin. The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was "very concerned about Gazprom-Media's potential interference in the editorial decisions of NTV journalists."[1][2][3][4]

## What reason was given

Gazprom framed the takeover as debt collection from Gusinsky's Media-Most holding company; Gusinsky and Kiselyov said it was, in substance, "a Kremlin-directed campaign to rein in Russia's only remaining independent national TV station."[3]

## What changed for reporting

NTV's founder and top editorial leadership were removed and replaced with Gazprom appointees; CPJ said it remained "very concerned about Gazprom-Media's potential interference in the editorial decisions of NTV journalists" going forward.[4]

## Timeline

- 2001-04-14: State-controlled Gazprom takes formal control of Russia's independent NTV television network

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Vladimir Gusinsky](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/vladimir-gusinsky) | other | Founder, NTV |
| [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/vladimir-putin) | other | President of Russia |
| [Yevgeny Kiselyov](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/yevgeny-kiselyov) | other | Managing Director, NTV |

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [NTV](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/ntv-russia) | outlet | affected |

## Sources

1. Gazprom completes NTV takeover. https://cpj.org/2001/03/gazprom-completes-ntv-takeover/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2001-04-14).

## Claims cited

[1] Gazprom used a shareholders meeting to take formal control of NTV. Quote: "Russia's state-dominated gas monopoly Gazprom used a shareholders meeting today to take formal control of the independent Russian television network, NTV." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2001-04-14. Gazprom completes NTV takeover. https://cpj.org/2001/03/gazprom-completes-ntv-takeover/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/255, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] The new management removed NTV's founder and managing director from the board. Quote: "The new management removed NTV founder Vladimir Gusinsky and managing director Yevgeny Kiselyov from the station's board of directors" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2001-04-14. Gazprom completes NTV takeover. https://cpj.org/2001/03/gazprom-completes-ntv-takeover/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/256, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] Gusinsky and Kiselyov characterized the takeover as a Kremlin-directed campaign against independent television. Quote: "have characterized Gazprom-Media's takeover as a Kremlin-directed campaign to rein in Russia's only remaining independent national TV station" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2001-04-14. Gazprom completes NTV takeover. https://cpj.org/2001/03/gazprom-completes-ntv-takeover/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/257, checked 2026-09-22.

[4] CPJ said it remained concerned about Gazprom-Media's potential interference in NTV's editorial decisions. Quote: "While CPJ takes no formal position on media ownership, we remain very concerned about Gazprom-Media's potential interference in the editorial decisions of NTV journalists." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2001-04-14. Gazprom completes NTV takeover. https://cpj.org/2001/03/gazprom-completes-ntv-takeover/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/258, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2001-russia-gazprom-takeover-ntv. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.