Simonyan Discusses Widowhood and Loyalty on TV

(MOSCOW, RUSSIA) – The head of Russian state broadcaster RT, Margarita Simonyan, has described her grief following the death of her husband, filmmaker Tigran Keosayan, and outlined plans to construct what she called a “glass sarcophagus” for their ashes, during an appearance on the talk show Secret for a Million hosted by Lera Kudryavtseva.

Speaking in an emotional interview alongside Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Simonyan said the word “widow” had become painful for her, adding that her husband had died without knowing how Russia’s war in Ukraine would end. She said she felt sorrow not for herself but for him, describing him as someone she pitied “like a child”.

She noted that their family home, which had been under construction for five years, had recently been completed. Despite personal loss, she dismissed concerns about her own appearance or status, stating she did not care about such matters and instead felt grief for those she had lost.

Asked about her husband’s character, Simonyan described him as “the best”, saying he had no domestic responsibilities and jokingly referred to him as a “padishah”. She said she would never have expected him to take part in household duties, adding that he was “fantastically kind”, though not everyone had the chance to experience that side of him.

Simonyan rejected suggestions that she might find happiness again, insisting she had already experienced a level of love she believed could not be repeated. She said she no longer expected to be happy, expressing a wish only for a calm life raising her children and continuing her professional duties.

She added that her husband would not have wanted her to be happy with someone else, claiming he would have “returned from the afterlife” to object if she did.

Describing their relationship, Simonyan said Keosayan closely monitored her daily schedule, even checking details with her driver to confirm her plans. She recounted instances where he would appear unannounced at locations where she had meetings, describing the behaviour as a sign of affection rather than concern.

Reflecting on her present life, Simonyan said she took comfort in what she described as Russia’s strengthening position, expressing confidence that the country would become “invulnerable” and “unbeatable”. She said shared political views had been central to her relationship, describing both herself and her husband as “imperial-minded”.

She also revealed that the couple had long agreed on their burial arrangements. At their home, she said, a tree had been planted under which they intended to be laid to rest. She said she is currently constructing a glass structure to house their ashes.

Simonyan stated that her husband’s ashes are currently kept beside her bed and that she intends for both of their ashes to be mixed and placed together in the structure after her death. She said this brought her comfort, adding that her day begins and ends with thoughts of him.

When questioned about the emotional impact of keeping the ashes nearby, she said it allowed her to feel that he remained with her, rejecting suggestions that she should hide them away.