InoSMI

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inoSMI is an online media project that translates and publishes articles from foreign and Western media in Russian. It is part of the state media group Russia Today, affiliated with RIA Novosti and funded by Russia’s Federal Agency on Press and Mass Communications (FAPMC). The project was created and directed by Yaroslav Ognev, who has served as editor-in-chief since the start. In March 2009, Marina Pustilnik became editor-in-chief; the current editor-in-chief is Alexey Dubosarsky.

Translations appear daily on a range of topics, including culture, politics, and society, with a focus on analytical pieces by Western journalists about Russia and the former Soviet Union. Regular news items are rare. inoSMI also posts videos, blogs, and selections from major media forums. While many translations are done by professional translators, a large portion comes from volunteers who can also suggest articles to translate.

The site hosts a forum where readers discuss publications. Moderation is relatively loose, allowing diverse views, though content promoting competing reader projects can be censored. The forum is described as the site’s soul, illustrating how readers shape what is published. inoSMI has hosted interactions with foreign journalists and editors; for example, Stanislaw Lem participated in a readers’ conference in 2006.

In February 2023, Canada sanctioned inoSMI for alleged involvement in Russian propaganda and misinformation related to the invasion of Ukraine. The site says it reaches about 70,000–90,000 daily visitors, mostly from Russia. In 2007, it won the Runet Prize in the Culture and Mass Media category.

The first editor noted that inoSMI broadens readers’ understanding by presenting Western analysis alongside Russian reporting, helping Western media become more accessible to Russians. In 2009, Marina Pustilnik was appointed editor-in-chief with a aim to broaden coverage to include more balanced viewpoints and topics, though audience numbers reportedly fell somewhat after the leadership change.