Kabayeva compares the pro-Kremlin media holding she runs to a Kalashnikov rifle

The head of Russia's "National Media Group" board of directors, Alina Kabayeva, who is believed to be the current wife of Vladimir Putin, compared the work of the media holding, which includes multiple state-run propaganda channels, to a Kalashnikov rifle.

She said this during her speech on the occasion of the "National Media Group's" 15th anniversary, the Russian "Agentstvo" reported.

An excerpt of Kabayeva's speech was shown in the "Vesti Nedeli" program by its host, Dmitri Kiselyov. This is her first public appearance as the head of the NMG board of directors since the start of Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine.

According to the media, it follows from Kabayeva's speech that she understands how important is the role that the holding company run by her plays in the ensuring of public support for the war in Ukraine.

"Information work is like a combat weapon today. And in terms of significance, it is in no way inferior to a Kalashnikov rifle," Kabayeva said.

Several pro-Kremlin publications showed a video of Kabayeva's speech on February 2. However, it went almost entirely unnoticed.

On February 5, "Vesti Nedeli" introduced Kabayeva as "the chairwoman of the holding's board of directors." According to the "Agentstvo", back in April they were trying to keep this information secret: at that time, all references to the head of the board of directors disappeared from the NMG website. In several comments that she has given to various news agencies after the war broke out, she speaks on sports-related subjects as a former athlete.

The "National Media Group" includes the 5th Channel, "REN TV", STS, "Izvestia", "Business Petersburg" and other media outlets. It also owns 49% of Perviy Kanal.

"Agentstvo" is a news outlet created by journalist Roman Badanin after his "Project" was declared an "undesirable" organization.

During 2022, the UK, the EU, and the United States introduced sanctions against Kabayeva.