PODCAST
EXCLUSIVE
This week President Volodymyr Zelensky banned 3 pro-Russian propaganda TV channels in Ukraine that are tied to the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin’s close friend, Viktor Medvdechuk denies all claims. Producer Elina Kent and staff writer Oleksiy Sorokin discuss what happened and what it means. Full transcript of the podcast below:
Welcome to the Kyiv Post Podcast, where you can tune in to stories that give you a deeper understanding of Ukraine.
I’m your host Elina Kent. I’m a multimedia producer and lifestyle journalist here at the Kyiv Post. And this week we are covering President Volodymyr Zelensky banning Taras Kozak’s media empire that is associated with Putin’s friend Viktor Medvedchuk.
We are joined by staff writer Oleksiy Sorokin; welcome Oleskiy.
Sorokin: Hello
So this week on February 2nd, Zelensky signed a decree issuing personal sanctions against pro-Russian lawmaker Taras Kozak and his three nationwide TV channels – NewsOne, Channel 112, and ZIK.
As a result of Zelensky’s decree, the channels have been immediately shut down.
Zelensky’s decree enforced the sanctions drawn on by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine earlier the same day.
Yes, the sanctions mean a five-year restriction on financial operations, freezing of assets, the nullification of all permits and licenses issued to lawmaker Kozak and to companies he officially owns.
However, Kozak, who represents the pro-Russian Opposition Platform – For Life party in parliament, is only the nominal owner of the lucrative media empire, while the real owner is believed to be Opposition Platform leader Viktor Medvedchuk, a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin is the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter.
And both Medvedchuk and Kozak denied all these claims.
O: Yes, but it doesn’t really matter who’s the real owner. The two are close allies, have business interests in Russia and promote Russian propaganda in Ukraine through the sanctioned channels.
The channels have been actively echoing Russian propaganda, depicting Russian aggression against Ukraine as a civil war, attacking Ukraine’s language law, and promoting the pro-Russian political party Opposition Platform – For Life.
But, I want to ask you how the president justified the closure of these channels? Can news channels in Ukraine be shut down by a presidential decree?
Not really. There’s a Ukrainian law on sanctions, last amended in 2018. The law lists people, companies and even government entities who can be sanctioned, the extent to which these sanctions can be applied and the way that these sanctions are passed.
Basically, the National Security and Defence Council is the body which rules on the need to introduce sanctions, while the president has to either support or decline the Council’s recommendation.
As for the justification, in sanction law there’s a clause that a Ukrainian citizen can be sanctioned if he or she acts under orders from foreign citizens or if this person sponsors terrorism.
As for Kozak, there are several justifications as to why he could have been sanctioned. First, for doing business in Russian-occupied territories. Second for receiving money from Russia or acting on behalf of Russia. Either way, the sanctions would be legal.
Media companies owned by Kozak have been sanctioned separately, meaning that if they switch ownership, they’ll still be under sanctions.
The reason this is so dangerous is that these channels that have been actively echoing Russian propaganda received 5% of Ukrainian TV viewership in 2019. They have also been among the most-watched news channels in Ukraine.
Now, we expect that pro-Russian lawmakers will appeal in court. They say it’s censorship and they hope that Ukrainian courts, that have a long history of dubious decisions, will support their cause.
That was this week’s episode of the Kyiv Post podcast. I’m your host Elina Kent. You can subscribe to our podcasts on all streaming platforms and follow along on our website. Stay safe, stay home, and subscribe to the Kyiv Post.
