Konstantin Syomin
Encyclopedia
Konstantin Syomin is a Russia
n journalist and TV news presenter. Since 2000 he has worked at the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company
, in 2004-2007 as chief foreign correspondent of the company in the United States
. Since 2007 Syomin has been an anchor with Vesti, the news program on the company's Rossiya Channel. In June 2007 President Vladimir Putin
awarded him medal For Merits to the Motherland, 1st class.
In 2007 Syomin directed The Good Empire (named in allusion to Reagan's evil empire
), a TV film criticizing the United States' alleged anti-Russian policy and struggle for world hegemony, which was aired nationwide on the Rossiya Channel in February 2008.
On February 21, 2008, while commenting on the Serbian protests against Kosovo's declaration of independence
in his Vesti Plus program, Syomin justified the 2003 assassination
of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, opining that Đinđić was a Western puppet who received "a well-deserved bullet" for "selling out heroes of the national resistance" to the ICTY, and also attacked the recently elected Serbian President Boris Tadić
:
His comments provoked an outcry in Serbia. The next day, on February 22, the Serbian embassy in Moscow demanded an explanation from the TV company. The Serbian diplomats wondered whether the scandalous statement was the position of the state television or Syomin's personal viewpoint. However, they were unable to reach the company's management. On February 23, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić
called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the issue and sent a letter of protest to the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company. On February 25, the Liberal Democratic minority faction in the Serbian parliament accused Russia of gross interference in the domestic affairs of Serbia and proposed to recall the ambassador from Moscow unless Russia apologizes. President Boris Tadić promised to touch the issue on February 25, during the scheduled visit of First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and presidential candidate Dmitry Medvedev
to Belgrade
behind closed doors. After the talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov publicly dismissed Syomin's comments voiced on state-run television as nonsense and his personal opinion. However, despite the scandal, Konstantin Syomin continued his work as a TV host, and the company has not commented on the issue.
On September 18, 2008, Syomin said the whole world hated the US government and its policies and ridiculed US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
. On October 30, 2008 in his program, Syomin described US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
and former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski
as "friends of terrorists".
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n journalist and TV news presenter. Since 2000 he has worked at the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company
All-Russia State Television and Radio Company
The All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company is a Russian state-owned unitary enterprise which operates several television and radio channels. It was founded in 1990.-Operations:...
, in 2004-2007 as chief foreign correspondent of the company in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Since 2007 Syomin has been an anchor with Vesti, the news program on the company's Rossiya Channel. In June 2007 President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
awarded him medal For Merits to the Motherland, 1st class.
In 2007 Syomin directed The Good Empire (named in allusion to Reagan's evil empire
Evil empire
The phrase evil empire was applied to the Soviet Union especially by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who took an aggressive, hard-line stance that favored matching and exceeding the Soviet Union's strategic and global military capabilities, in calling for a rollback strategy that would, in his words,...
), a TV film criticizing the United States' alleged anti-Russian policy and struggle for world hegemony, which was aired nationwide on the Rossiya Channel in February 2008.
On February 21, 2008, while commenting on the Serbian protests against Kosovo's declaration of independence
2008 protests in Serbia
Kosovo is Serbia protests followed the 2008 proclamation of independence by Kosovo on February 17, 2008.The Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Koštunica, blamed the United States for being "ready to violate the international order for its own military interests" and stated that "Today, this policy...
in his Vesti Plus program, Syomin justified the 2003 assassination
Assassination of Zoran Đinđić
The assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia, took place on Wednesday, March 12, 2003, in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro.- Background :The assassination of Đinđić was preceded by several unsuccessful attempts on his life...
of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, opining that Đinđić was a Western puppet who received "a well-deserved bullet" for "selling out heroes of the national resistance" to the ICTY, and also attacked the recently elected Serbian President Boris Tadić
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...
:
His comments provoked an outcry in Serbia. The next day, on February 22, the Serbian embassy in Moscow demanded an explanation from the TV company. The Serbian diplomats wondered whether the scandalous statement was the position of the state television or Syomin's personal viewpoint. However, they were unable to reach the company's management. On February 23, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić
Vuk Jeremic
Vuk Jeremić is a Serbian politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Serbia. He was sworn in on May 15, 2007 and reelected on July 7, 2008.-Education:Jeremić was born in Belgrade in 1975 to Miško Jeremić and Sena Buljubašić...
called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the issue and sent a letter of protest to the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company. On February 25, the Liberal Democratic minority faction in the Serbian parliament accused Russia of gross interference in the domestic affairs of Serbia and proposed to recall the ambassador from Moscow unless Russia apologizes. President Boris Tadić promised to touch the issue on February 25, during the scheduled visit of First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and presidential candidate Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
behind closed doors. After the talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov publicly dismissed Syomin's comments voiced on state-run television as nonsense and his personal opinion. However, despite the scandal, Konstantin Syomin continued his work as a TV host, and the company has not commented on the issue.
On September 18, 2008, Syomin said the whole world hated the US government and its policies and ridiculed US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
. On October 30, 2008 in his program, Syomin described US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
and former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski is a Polish American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981....
as "friends of terrorists".