Putin gives Order of Merit to longtime friend and “wallet” Sergei Roldugin, hands out state honors to 27 propagandists from Channel One

On September 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin bestowed the Order of Merit to the Fatherland, 3rd Class, upon cellist Sergei Roldugin. Renowned for his musical talents, Roldugin is widely regarded as a key figure in managing Putin's unofficial wealth, earning him the nickname "wallet." The same decree also honored 27 individuals from the state-controlled television network Channel One.

The document outlining these awards was published on Russia's official legal information website. Roldugin, who serves as the artistic director of the St. Petersburg House of Music, was recognized for his significant contributions to culture and the arts, a distinction he had previously received in 2021. The Order of Merit to the Fatherland is the nation's highest state decoration, available in four classes, with the 1st Class being the highest honor.

Roldugin's name has surfaced in numerous investigations into the assets of Putin's inner circle. In 2016, the Panama Papers revealed that offshore entities connected to the cellist managed transactions exceeding $2 billion. In 2023, a Swiss court sentenced four managers from Gazprombank's subsidiary to jail time for facilitating accounts for companies linked to Roldugin.

According to The Insider, Swiss prosecutors argued that Roldugin was merely a symbolic beneficiary. In March 2026, Putin transferred shares from the state-owned Muzyka sheet music company to the Talent and Success Foundation, of which Roldugin is a co-founder and chair. Notably, this foundation subsequently acquired a 5% stake in energy firm En+ for approximately $166.2 million, a transaction that bypassed mandatory reporting requirements.

Among the Channel One personnel recognized were television hosts Anton Vernitsky, Vitaly Yeliseyev, and Anatoly Kuzichev, as well as Sergei Titinkov, the chief producer for film programming and production.