DISINFO: Ukrainian sanctions against Medvedchuk's TV channels are against the freedom of the press
SUMMARY
Zelenskyy has created an oppressive power structure. He has shut the mouth of journalists of three TV stations. Attending a TV debate is now enough for charging in anyone in Ukraine.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about discrimination against Russian language media in Ukraine.
On February 2, 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed sanctions against three TV channels. According to the Ukrainian government, the decision is linked to the implementation of personal sanctions against Taras Kozak. Economic and other restrictive measures were applied against the TV channels that he owns such as 112 Ukraine, ZIK and NewsOne after the decision of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. As stressed by Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenskyy, these channels were the source of disinformation and “earned money on the war”.
According to the Ukrainian media watchdog and NGO Detektor Media, the channels were responsible for half of the prevalent disinformation narratives about Ukraine's leadership, political system and territorial disputes in 2020.
See similar cases claiming that the Baltic states continuously obstruct the work of the Russian media or Ukraine and Latvia clear their educational space from the Russian language.