Russia Today is spreading its network of correspondent bureaux and is the first of Russian and international TV channels to open a correspondent bureau in South Ossetia.
Russia Todays bureau is located in Tskhinval. Its journalists have mobile satellite equipment, BGAN at their disposal to organise live broadcasting and feeds. It provides an opportunity to efficiently put news on air and broadcast live reports from South Ossetia and neighbouring republics: North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan.
The chief of the bureau is Naida Azizova, a journalist with extensive professional experience.. For more than a year Naida has been working as a military correspondent for Russia Today. Naida speaks English, Arabic, Hebrew, French and Persian.
It was decided to open Russia Todays bureau in South Ossetia soon after military action ended in the region.
Russia Today provided the most extensive coverage by an international TV station of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict in August of 2008 on air, becoming the main source of information about the situation in South Ossetia for viewers and media across the world. It was possible to see the biggest world broadcasters such as CNN and others use Russia Todays video footage on air. Russia Todays correspondents provided interviews and commentaries for the BBC World Service and many other media.
During the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict Russia Today was the fourth Most Viewed among Global Partners on You Tube. In comparison the BÂÑ was at 21 for the same period.
At present Russia Today and Russia Al-Yaums correspondent offices and bureaux are situated in Washington, London, Dehli, Paris, Damascus, Baghdad and Jerusalem and other cities around the world.