Putin's Chiswick Propagandist Leaves Russia
Sanctioned broadcaster Sergey Brilev reported to have left his job
Sergey Brilev (left) with Vladimir Putin. Picture: Kremlin.ru
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The former Chiswick resident who had previously been one of Vladimir Putin’s favourite broadcasters has reportedly left his role at Russian state TV and quit the country.
49-year-old Sergey Brilev was sanctioned earlier this year for his role in spreading pro-Putin propaganda and had his assets, including his flat in a mansion block in Chiswick, frozen.
Brilev's ownership of the flat was first revealed back in 2018 by the prominent opponent of Putin, Alexei Navalny who was jailed for nine years earlier this year on trumped up charges.
The flat, which was purchased in 2017 for £700,000, is registered in his wife's name. Brilev claimed that the property was paid for with earnings within the UK that were fully reported to the tax authorities. When neighbours in the same block learnt of his activities, they lobbied for it to be seized.
Sergey Brilev and his wife Irina outside Chiswick House. Picture: Facebook
The UK passport holder had previously been described by the Kremlin as an ‘absolute patriot’ and had taken a role in the Russian Ministry of Defence following the initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 when Crimea was annexed. He also was used by the Russian Government to promote the claim that the country’s security services were not responsible for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury.
However, Brilev had remained silent on the latest incursion into Ukrainian territory and had not appeared on his regular show on state-owned Rossiya 1 channel.
A report on the pro-Putin news site, RIA FAN, stated that Brilev has left his role as a TV host and was no longer the deputy director of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.
The news site states, “The TV presenter explained his decision by fatigue and the desire to realise himself in other projects. For example, as the journalist himself said, he plans to start creating documentaries about the countries of Latin America.”
Brilev has confirmed on social media that his future career plans include reporting from outside Russian and that hi had been travelling through Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Ecuador since the war started. He was born in Cuba and is understood to have connections in that part of the world.
He said, “On February 26, I hosted [my] last issue of Vesti on Saturday, which drew a line under the period when I had to wear the title of deputy director of the channel.”
His departure is widely seen as another blow to Putin and is the latest flight overseas of a prominent figure in Russian media.
It is understood that it is unlikely that Brilev’s move will result in the unfreezing of his assets in this country include his Chiswick flat.
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July 24, 2022
