Unveiling the Alleged Financial Ties: Hubert Seipel and Russian Oligarch Mordashov
A Friendly Encounter with Suspicious Funding
An ARD journalist, known as a "Putin explainer," has found himself in the midst of controversy: Hubert Seipel (73), a long-time friend of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and well-respected author at ARD, accepted funding estimated to be around 600,000 euros from a sponsor fund affiliated with Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, a close confidant of Putin[2].
ZDF investigations suggest that Seipel signed a sponsorship contract with Mordashov's offshore company "De Vere Worldwide Corporation" in March 2018, with the funds intended to support the development of Seipel's book, "Putin's Power: Why Europe Needs Russia," published in 2021. The allegations, however, date back to a 2013 contract[2].
Unfazed Admissions and Defenses
Seipel has admitted to receiving the payments, yet insists that they did not influence his ARD reports or books. Meanwhile, critics have pointed to previous instances, including Seipel's Putin portrait in 2012 and a 2014 interview, where he failed to ask critical questions. Seipel's writings have also led to accusations of being overly loyal to Moscow, with some accusing him of omitting facts or taking an overly pro-Russia stance[3].
Dutiful Loyalty to Moscow
Demonstrating unwavering loyalty, Seipel expressed his views during an appearance on ARD's "Maischberger" in late January 2022, dismissing the notion that NATO had encircled Putin, labeling the rhetoric as irrational hysteria, and downplaying the military tension on Ukraine's border as a combination of diplomatic overtures and power displays[3].
Despite these suspicions, it remains unclear whether Mordashov's funding influenced Seipel's coverage of Putin and Russia for ARD and NDR. While the German public broadcasters, ARD and NDR, have expressed concern over the allegations and have vowed to conduct a thorough investigation, specific evidence connecting the sponsorship to biased reporting has not been presented[1].
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- Enrichment Data
- Der Spiegel: Hubert Seipel criticized for being Putin's advocate, omitting facts in his book.
