Yevgeny Kiselyov
A fearless Russian TV anchor who became the face of independent journalism in the 1990s before being forced into exile by the Kremlin.
Born 1956 (age 70)·Russian television journalist·Birthday: June 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
In the chaotic, hopeful 1990s, Yevgeny Kiselyov's face and voice were synonymous with a new Russia. As the anchor of NTV's flagship show 'Itogi,' he delivered news with a sharp, critical edge that was revolutionary for a country emerging from Soviet propaganda. He grilled officials and scrutinized President Boris Yeltsin's war in Chechnya, making his program a must-watch for a nation hungry for truth. His independence made him a target. When the state-aligned energy giant Gazprom seized control of NTV in 2001, Kiselyov led a defiant walkout of the staff. His next venture, the independent TV-6, was shut down by the government months later. Effectively blacklisted, he moved to Ukraine, where he continued his work as a presenter and analyst, a living testament to the extinguished promise of a free Russian press.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Yevgeny was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Yevgeny Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Yevgeny's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hosted 'Itogi,' Russia's first independent, critically acclaimed weekly news analysis program on NTV in the 1990s.
- Led the journalistic staff walkout from NTV in 2001 in protest of the state-backed takeover by Gazprom.
- Served as the general manager and face of the short-lived independent TV-6 channel until its license was revoked in 2002.
- Built a second career in Ukrainian television as a prominent host of political talk shows after leaving Russia.
Did You Know?
He began his career as a translator and editor for Soviet radio, focusing on South Asian affairs.
After moving to Ukraine, he hosted the program 'Big Politics' on the Inter channel.
He holds Ukrainian citizenship, which he received in 2019.
His departure from Russia marked a symbolic end to an era of relatively free television journalism in the country.
“We were the first and, as it turned out, the last independent television company in Russia.”
