TASS
TASS is Russia’s state-owned news agency, established in 1904 and wholly controlled by the Russian government as a Federal State Unitary Enterprise. The agency “claims” to publish “nearly 3,000 news items daily in six languages” and operate 70 offices in Russia and 59 branches globally. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, TASS was suspended from the European Alliance of News Agencies for “not being able to provide unbiased news,” and Getty Images terminated its partnership for editorial policy violations. TASS has been identified as a source of disinformation in Russian influence operations, spreading false claims about Ukrainian President Zelenskyy fleeing Kyiv and unsubstantiated allegations about Ukraine developing a nuclear “dirty bomb.” The agency frequently acts as a propaganda instrument for the Kremlin.
