Duma concerned about restricted broadcast of Russian television in Ukraine
MOSCOW. March 6 (Interfax) - The State Duma committee on information policies, IT and communications has expressed concerns about the attempts made by some Ukrainian providers to restrict the broadcasts of Russian channels in Ukraine.
"This contradicts all international agreements and is a direct attack on the interests of people who speak Russian," Alexei Mitrofanov, chairman of the committee, said on Thursday.
"There is a real information war going on in the West and in the Ukrainian media," he said. The parliamentarian said such media mainly "reflect pro-Maidan views and actively criticize the role of Russia and its actions."
As to the Russian media, Mitrofanov believes they are generally trying to use legal norms in their analysis. "they are trying to cite the current norms of Ukrainian legislation," he said.
"At the same time, other media are operating on the emotion that 'Maidan is above everything,'" he said.
Mitrofanov expressed concerns about the reaction by some Russian media to the events in Ukraine.
"I would like to call on our Russian colleagues to be very correct. All these alarmist statements that the ruble is falling constitute the spread of panic, and that is especially dangerous at a moment when the situation is exacerbated," he said.
According to earlier reports, the large Kyiv Internet and cable television provider Lanet has suspended the broadcasts of three Russian television channels. The company said on its website that the television channels are RTR-Planeta, Channel One Russia Worldwide Network, and NTV Mir. Lanet said on its website that the channels "violate Ukrainian legislation."