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Putin congratulates World Association of Russian Press president on 80th birthday

The head of state emphasized a major role of Vitaly Ignatenko, who had led TASS for 20 years, in the development of Russian media

© Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, April 1./TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent greetings to President of the World Association of Russian Press (WARP) Vitaly Ignatenko who marks his 80th birthday on Monday.

The president emphasized a major role of Vitaly Ignatenko, who had led TASS for 20 years, in the development of Russian media.

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"A journalist, a public figure and a creatively gifted person, you have made a great personal contribution to the development of modern Russian media and to the support for the Russian-language press and compatriots abroad," President Putin said in his message of congratulations.

The president highlighted Ignatenko’s role in "enhancing the prestige of the profession and in training the young generation of specialists - editors, correspondents and observers." "Your colleagues esteem you for your dedication, responsibility and a brilliant talent of organizer. I wish you good health, prosperity and all the best," the president wrote.

Vitaly Ignatenko’s biography

Ignatenko was born in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on April 19, 1941. In 1963, he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University. He worked at the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily, starting as a trainee and rising to the rank of first deputy editor-in-chief. At the end of the 1980s, he led the Novoye Vremya weekly, while in 1990-1991, Ignatenko worked as press secretary of first President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev.

From August 28, 1991 to September 17, 2012, Vitaly Ignatenko was TASS director general. Simultaneously, from May 1995 to March 1997, he was deputy prime minister in charge of mass media issues.

Since 1999, Ignatenko has been WARP president and president of the World Russian Press Foundation.

Since November 2018, he leads the Council for Public Television of Russia.

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