Current Time
A 24/7 Russian-language TV and digital network, Current Time provides an alternative to Kremlin-controlled news and information.
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About the Service
Current Time is an editorially independent 24/7 Russian-language news platform that reaches audiences in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Baltics, and beyond.
With a growing audience, Current Time is a vital source of news that is countering Russian disinformation in the region.
Current Time reached more Russians weekly in 2023 than at any point since its inception in 2014, with a weekly measured audience of 5.9%.
In 2023, usage of Current Time was highest among young Russian adults: 8.7% of those aged 15-24 use it weekly.
Current Time covers the plight of political prisoners in Russia, Belarus, and other countries reached by its broadcasts.
Journalists are covering Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, reporting about poor conditions for Russian conscripts, Russians fleeing mobilization, and new patriotic classes in Russian schools.
The series of community outreach stories “Community and Collaboration” maintains contact with Current Time’s audience to highlight their thoughts on current issues.
Latest Updates
Trump Administration Secures Release of Radio Liberty Journalist Andrey Kuznechyk from Detention in Belarus
RFE/RL welcomes news of Andrey’s release and is grateful to the American and Lithuanian governments for their support.
Statement from the RFE/RL Board of Directors on the Release of Alsu Kurmasheva
The Board of Directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty welcomes home RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva following her release from unjust detention in the Russian Federation.
American RFE/RL Reporter Alsu Kurmasheva Released from Russian Custody
RFE/RL welcomes news of Alsu’s release and is grateful to the American government and all who worked tirelessly to end her unjust treatment by Russia.
Service Director
Pavel Butorin
Pavel Butorin is the Service Director of Current Time, the 24/7 Russian language digital and TV network, led by RFE/RL in cooperation with the Voice of America. Butorin has been with RFE/RL since 2001, first as a producer for Central News, then as a video producer for the multimedia department, and finally as managing editor for Current Time TV. He has been a leading member of the Current Time team since its inception as a 30-minute television news program in 2014 and was instrumental in its transformation into a successful 24/7 digital and television network. He is a graduate of Ohio University in the United States and has a master’s degree in mass communications.
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