Russia jails 12 in plot to kill pro-Kremlin media chief Simonyan

Russia announced Friday that it has imprisoned 12 members of a neo-Nazi group, including two who were plotting to assassinate Margarita Simonyan, a powerful pro-Kremlin media executive and a staunch supporter of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that the group was also involved in other crimes, but did not provide further details. Simonyan, who heads the state-controlled RT television network and the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, has been a vocal advocate for the war and a frequent critic of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Simonyan has been a target of Ukrainian intelligence operations before. In 2022, Ukrainian authorities accused her and other Russian journalists and officials of inciting hatred and war crimes. She has also been sanctioned by various Western countries.

The sentencing of the neo-Nazi group members underscores the ongoing security concerns within Russia, particularly related to extremist elements and potential foreign-backed operations.