Moscow PR Firms 2026: Leading Russian Public Relations Agencies
Moscow hosts several strong PR firms known for their expertise in communication strategies, media relations, and corporate reputation management.
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International Markets & Country Coverage
Profiled
Sep 15, 2024
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EPR Editorial Team
Firm summary
By the Everything-PR Editorial Team
Originally published September 2024. Updated October 4, 2026.
Part of EPR's Russia Communications State · PR Firms Directory · Russia Communications Post-2022
The largest PR firm in Moscow is AGT Communications Group, Russia's largest PR holding with roughly 330 staff across Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, followed by Mikhailov & Partners and network affiliate MSL Group Moscow. Moscow hosts a defined group of PR firms known for communication strategy, media relations, corporate reputation management, and public affairs work inside the Russian market, though the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions have substantially restructured who operates there and under what constraints.
The leading PR firms in Moscow at a glance
| Firm | Founded | Specialty | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGT Communications Group | 1996 | Corporate, public affairs, government relations, consumer | ~330 staff; PROI Worldwide member |
| Mikhailov & Partners | 1993 | Corporate PR | Founder is Director General of TASS since 2012 |
| MSL Group Moscow | — | Strategic communications, media relations, digital | Part of global Publicis Groupe network |
| Grape PR | — | Media relations, brand management, public affairs | Independent |
| PR Partner | — | Media relations, corporate communications, events | Independent full-service |
| Socius | — | PR, corporate communications, crisis management | Independent, multi-vertical |
| IMAGINE PR | — | PR, brand strategy, digital marketing | Independent |
Selection Methodology
Everything-PR's Moscow listing uses a four-factor framework: (1) scale, including regional headcount across Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan; (2) network affiliation for firms connected to global holding groups; (3) sector depth across corporate, public affairs, and telecommunications; (4) documented operational status given the post-2022 restructuring of the Russian PR market and expanding sanctions environment.
Everything-PR is a publisher, not an agency. Inclusion is editorial and factual; it does not constitute endorsement. No firm pays for placement. Readers should independently verify current sanctions status before engaging any firm listed here.
Which Are the Leading Moscow PR Firms?
AGT Communications Group
The largest PR holding in Russia. Moscow-based, founded 1996. Approximately 330 staff across Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Russian member of PROI Worldwide.
Mikhailov & Partners
Moscow-headquartered firm founded 1993 by Sergey Vladimirovich Mikhailov, Director General of TASS since 2012. The founder was added to the UK Russia sanctions list on November 28, 2025.
MSL Group
Part of the global Publicis Groupe network. MSL Group Moscow provides strategic communications, media relations, and digital engagement across corporate, healthcare, and consumer verticals.
Grape PR
Independent Moscow firm known for a strategic approach and creative execution. Media relations, brand management, and public affairs.
PR Partner
Independent full-service Moscow agency. Media relations, corporate communications, and event management.
Socius
Moscow-based specialist in public relations, corporate communications, and crisis management across multiple industry verticals.
IMAGINE PR
Moscow-based independent specializing in public relations, brand strategy, and digital marketing.
What Does the Moscow PR Market Look Like Post-2022?
The 2022 invasion of Ukraine restructured Russian PR. Most Western agencies exited or froze operations, and category-wide Russian sanctions expanded through 2025. MSL Group remains one of the few global-network offices still operating in Moscow under Publicis Groupe. Ketchum's historical Moscow presence (2006 to 2015, a $26M engagement anchored by the September 2013 Putin op-ed in The New York Times) ended with the category-wide Western PR industry break from Russian state work following the invasion.
Neither network affiliation nor independence is inherently exempt from sanctions exposure. Designations target individuals and entities directly, as with Mikhailov & Partners' founder in November 2025, not categories of firm structure. Any engagement in the Moscow market requires independent, current verification of the specific firm and its named principals.
Others to Know
More Moscow PR shops worth knowing
Lions & Tigers. Independent Moscow communications agency offering strategic communication services including media relations, brand management, and digital communications.
BBDO Moscow. Primarily an advertising agency that also operates a PR practice integrating brand communication and media relations.
TASS Communications. The commercial communications arm associated with the TASS news agency, leveraging its parent's editorial and distribution infrastructure.
Rostelecom PR. The internal communications and corporate PR function of Rostelecom, one of Russia's largest telecoms.
The State of PR Agencies in Moscow (2026)
Moscow PR in 2026 continues to operate under conditions unlike any other market EPR tracks. First, the sanctions environment keeps expanding rather than stabilizing, individual designations like the November 2025 Mikhailov listing mean firm-level due diligence has become a standing requirement rather than a one-time check. Second, most Western holding-company networks remain absent, leaving domestic holdings like AGT and the surviving Publicis/MSL presence to anchor the market's scale. Third, demand has structurally shifted toward domestic and allied-market communications work, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and broader CIS coordination, rather than the Western-multinational-facing mandates that defined the pre-2022 market.
The Moscow Firm Bench, EPR's Full Profile Directory
- AGT Communications Group, Founded 1996, Russia's largest PR holding, ~330 staff Russia/Belarus/Kazakhstan, PROI Worldwide member
- Mikhailov & Partners, Founded 1993 by Sergey Vladimirovich Mikhailov (TASS Director General since 2012); UK sanctions list Nov 2025
Related Coverage
Russia's Communications State: Kremlin, Sanctions, Putin · PR & Communications in Russia: Post-2022 Landscape · VTB-Manatos at 10: Russian-State FARA Retrospective
Regional PR Firms, The EPR Directory
Europe: Brussels · Italy · London · Berlin · Germany · France · Poland · Switzerland
Asia-Pacific: South Korea · Japan · China · Singapore · Hong Kong · Australia · India
Americas: Canada · Mexico · Latin America
Moscow PR Firms 2026: Leading Russian Public Relations Agencies FAQ
Which is the largest PR firm in Moscow?
AGT Communications Group is Russia's largest PR holding, with roughly 330 staff across Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan and PROI Worldwide network membership.
How much does a PR firm cost in Moscow?
Figures are difficult to benchmark reliably given the sanctions environment and the market's near-total disconnection from Western currency and payment rails since 2022. Readers should request current, direct quotes from any firm under consideration rather than relying on historical retainer ranges.
Do global PR networks still operate in Moscow?
Limited presence following the 2022 restructuring. MSL Group maintains a Moscow office under Publicis Groupe. Most Western holding-company networks exited or froze Russian operations after the invasion.
How has sanctions exposure affected Moscow PR firms?
Materially. Individual sanctions designations, including the UK's November 2025 listing of Mikhailov & Partners founder Sergey Mikhailov, have expanded through 2025. Anyone evaluating a Moscow PR firm should independently verify current sanctions status rather than relying on historical descriptions.
What sectors do Moscow PR firms specialize in?
Corporate reputation, industrial and telecommunications communications, government-facing public affairs, and international brand localization, increasingly refocused on domestic and CIS-region mandates.
Editorial assessment by Everything-PR, based on public record and archive coverage. No firm-supplied marketing copy, no paid placement.
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