The pro-Russian channel TV OTV garners hundreds of thousands of views per month on YouTube. (source: Reprofoto/MH)
Dávid Šípoš, the district deputy chairman of Slovakia's ruling Smer party in Pezinok, is linked to the pro-Russian media outlet TV OTV, a fringe online broadcaster known for spreading Kremlin-aligned narratives and disinformation critical of Ukraine, the SME daily has reported. It notes that Eva Mazárová, Šípoš’s long-time partner, was until recently listed as the editor-in-chief of TV OTV.
According to David Púchovský, the founder of the Hoaxy a podvody (Hoaxes and Frauds) disinformation-monitoring campaign, who is also an aide for an opposition Progressive Slovakia party MP, Šípoš and Mazárová maintain close personal ties with the Zlatevs, the family behind TV OTV. “Eva is a long-time partner of Šípoš, a key figure in Smer’s Pezinok organisation. The Šípoš and Zlatev families even vacation together,” Púchovský said.
In early May, Dávid Šípoš (r) attended a ceremonial reception at a Russian Embassy event held at the state-owned Hotel Bôrik in Bratislava. In the photo, he is pictured alongside Deputy Defence Minister Igor Melicher (Smer) and Smer MP Zuzana Plevíková. (source: Zuzana Plevíková)
What is TV OTV and where does money come?
TV OTV, run by Lenka Zlatevová and her husband Mitko, who comes from North Macedonia, is the media project, which presents itself as an “information and analysis portal. ” Even though the project is unknown to the general public, it has operated for years within the Slovak disinformation scene and ranks among the most prominent importers of Russian war propaganda. The project consistently promotes pro-Kremlin content while attacking Ukraine's leadership and Western institutions.
The network’s content is widely circulated on social media, including YouTube, where its videos regularly garner hundreds of thousands of views. TV OTV’s YouTube channel has more than 52,000 subscribers. The financial background of the outlet remains unclear, with no visible revenue streams such as paywalls, merchandise or donations.
Mazárová was TV OTV's editor-in-chief
Mazárová’s name was quietly removed from the TV OTV website amid rising scrutiny last year. At the time, she was listed as the editor-in-chief, despite the majority of published content being credited to Zlatevová. Analysts believe the removal of her name may have been an attempt to obscure the link to Smer.
TV OTV has also been linked to a coordinated international disinformation network, allegedly operating across nine countries, with identical propaganda content posted simultaneously. Coordination is suspected to originate from the Czech Republic.
The outlet’s ties to Russia are further underscored by frequent interviews with Russian politicians, including Duma member Andrei Alshevskikh. In her programming, Zlatevová has advocated for Russian-style legislation on “foreign agents” in Slovakia and has been seen attending events at the Russian Embassy in Bratislava.
One of TV OTV’s regular collaborators, Konstantin Dzultaev, who also works for Russian media outlet Octagon, has twice been denied journalistic accreditation in Slovakia due to security concerns.
Both Smer’s Pezinok chapter and party figures have given public support for TV OTV’s content on social media, raising additional concerns over political links to pro-Russian disinformation.
