RTs Simonyan Faces Leadership Uncertainty Amid Cancer Diagnosis

Margarita Simonyan may resign from her position as editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-funded network RT following an alleged diagnosis of breast cancer, a source with close ties to the network revealed to the Russian service of The Moscow Times on Monday.

On Sunday, Simonyan disclosed that she had been diagnosed with a “terrible and serious” condition the previous week and was scheduled for surgery on Monday.

While she did not specify the nature of her illness, she suggested it might involve a mastectomy, a surgical procedure typically performed to address breast cancer.

“The surgery will occur right below this award,” Simonyan stated on state television, indicating a medal attached to her chest.

A source familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity, confirmed that Simonyan had been diagnosed with cancer and was grappling with “very serious health issues.” Discussions regarding her ability to continue in her role were reportedly ongoing, but no decision had been reached.

Simonyan has served as the head of RT since its inception in 2005 and was later appointed editor-in-chief of Rossiya Segodnya, the government-owned media group that also manages the Sputnik news agency. Both entities, along with Simonyan, are subject to U.S. and European sanctions.

In addition, her husband, filmmaker and television presenter Tigran Keosayan, has been in a coma for the past nine months.