{"id":4127,"date":"2025-12-31T17:23:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T18:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/?p=4127"},"modified":"2026-01-02T13:47:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T13:47:43","slug":"rt-at-20-how-the-network-celebrated-its-anniversary-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/31\/rt-at-20-how-the-network-celebrated-its-anniversary-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"RT at 20: How the network celebrated its anniversary in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past 20 years of its existence, the Russian broadcaster has grown from a single channel into a major news network<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2025, RT commemorated having spent two decades on air, and celebrated the achievements it has made despite relentless Western efforts to silence the network.<\/p>\n

Launched as a single English-language channel, Russia Today, to an international audience late in 2005, the outlet has grown over the years into a sprawling news network. Today, it broadcasts and shows documentaries in English, Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Serbian, Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, and Russian.<\/p>\n

RT is now available to more than 900 million TV viewers in over 100 countries around the globe, and the network\u2019s audience is continuing to grow. RT India, a dedicated English-language news channel, is the latest addition. It was inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his state visit to the country in December.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look back at the anniversary celebrations:<\/p>\n

The Bolshoi gala<\/strong><\/p>\n

The centerpiece of the celebrations was a major gala event held at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. The gathering was attended by over a thousand friends and guests of the channel from all around the world, as well as Putin and other top Russian officials.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the gala, the president praised the network for its achievements, stating that in 20 years RT has evolved from an idea into a global brand. The network must continue to wield its \u201csecret strategic high-precision weapon of intercontinental reach – the truth,\u201d<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank your dynamic, creative, and close-knit team for the high level of professionalism and dedication to your craft and duty. For boldly, selflessly, and persistently upholding the truth in the global information space. I wish you continued growth and the discovery of new formats and themes in the fierce battle for hearts and minds,\u201d<\/em> the Russian leader stated.<\/p>\n

A projection mapping show illuminated the fa\u00e7ade of the Bolshoi amid the gala, telling the story of RT\u2019s evolution from a single, English-language TV channel into a global multilingual network.<\/p>\n

RT is only getting stronger<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n Read more<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"RT
RT \u2018only getting stronger\u2019\u00a0\u2013 editor-in-chief<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Speaking onstage, RT\u2019s Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan vowed to continue the work despite the \u201cridiculous\u201d<\/em> campaign in the West to take the channel off the air and take down its accounts online.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are only getting stronger and feel more emboldened,\u201d<\/em> Simonyan said. \u201cFor all of us, the [Western] sanctions are such minor inconveniences compared to the great honor and pride of serving our country,\u201d<\/em> she added.<\/p>\n

Over the years, the network grew into a truly \u201ccolossal enterprise,\u201d<\/em> while two decades ago it was impossible to imagine that \u201call this would be created,\u201d<\/em> she admitted. \u201cI remember when you appointed me 20 years ago \u2013 it seemed to me the world had gone mad, and the main task was not to disgrace myself,\u201d<\/em> she told the Russian president.<\/p>\n

The \u2018propaganda bullhorn\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

To mark its anniversary, RT also erected a massive megaphone-shaped structure in central Moscow. The giant installation was placed outside the Kremlin in Manezhnaya Square, featuring quotes from rival media outlets and top Western officials who recognized the network\u2019s influence and flung assorted accusations at it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry was among the network\u2019s most ardent \u2018fans\u2019 featured at the installation. He accused the channel of being a Kremlin \u2018propaganda bullhorn\u2019 in 2014, ultimately unwittingly contributing to the imposing anniversary display.<\/p>\n

The installation featured a studio housing live broadcasts, interviews, and recordings of RT shows.<\/p>\n

The West \u2018joins\u2019 RT in questioning more (sort of)<\/strong><\/p>\n

RT has also released a bunch of its trademark tongue-in-cheek shorts to celebrate the anniversary.<\/p>\n

One of the AI-assisted videos features multiple prominent news anchors of the mainstream media \u2018questioning\u2019 their trademark narratives. With some AI magic, RT made MSNBC\u2019s Rachael Maddow reflect on her relentless peddling of the Russiagate hoax, while Fox News\u2019 Sean Hannity wondered about his unrelenting support for every illegal war ever launched by the US.<\/p>\n

Another AI deepfake video features a number of top Western politicians, including former US presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and ex-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. With RT\u2019s help, the politicians \u2018became\u2019 a little bit more honest about their dealings, such as the infamous claims about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) made by Bush and then-Secretary of State Colin Powell that ultimately led to the 2003 US invasion of the country.<\/p>\n

RT-themed trains<\/strong><\/p>\n

In mid-December, a train celebrating RT\u2019s anniversary began operating in the Moscow subway. The project, aptly named the \u2018Propaganda Train\u2019, aims to showcase RT\u2019s evolution into an international media network and reflect on its history, achievements, and impact on the global mediascape.<\/p>\n

The train features three distinct types of cars, titled \u2018The Newsroom\u2019, \u2018Live on Air\u2019, and \u2018Censorship.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n Read more<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"RT\"
\u2018A new voice from an old friend\u2019: RT\u2019s India launch turns heads nationwide<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In the latter, the commuters can quite literally \u201cwalk over sanctions,\u201d<\/em> plastered all over its floor. According to Russia\u2019s Foreign Ministry, the network and its staff have been hit with more than 110 sanctions by assorted Western actors, along with asset freezes and other restrictions in recent years.<\/p>\n

The carriages feature quotes from foreign media and various politicians about the network. The handlebars of the train are decorated with mock RT-branded microphones, as well as bright red \u2018Kremlin bullhorns.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another RT-themed metro train was introduced on the Delhi Metro amid the promotional campaign ahead of RT India\u2019s launch. The eight-car train, dubbed the \u2018Indo-Russian Museum,\u2019 covers various spheres of friendship and cooperation between the two nations, from sports and culture to defense and space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the past 20 years of its existence, the Russian broadcaster has grown from a single channel into a major […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4127"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4127"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4131,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4127\/revisions\/4131"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}