Two mainstays of Russia’s independent press in recent years, Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) radio and Dozhd (Rain) television, have suspended their broadcasts, and access to pro-opposition news sites and major social networks has been blocked.
The best-known independent newspaper in Russia, Novaya Gazeta –whose editor-in-chief won last year the Nobel Peace Prize— will delete the file content about Ukraine of its website so as not to conflict with the new law.
The changes “they leave no room for free expression and opinion about the war”claimed Dunja Mijatovic, human rights commissioner of the Council of Europe.
Jeanne Cavelier of Reporters Without Borders (RSF)pointed out that, in Russiathe information war is “booming”.
“President Vladimir Putin has to put the entire press on a war footing to justify the invasion of Ukraine to the Russians, hiding the victims of the war”he added.
more control
Information programs present the war in Ukraine through the prism of the Kremlin, with a very alternative reality about the situation.
The main news program in the country, Vremya (Time)opens each night with the exaltation of the actions of the Russian soldiers who have shown “heroism and courage” on the battlefield.
The death toll is not mentioned, which according to Western sources would be several thousand Russian soldiers, but he denounces the Western outrage as “hysteria” and condemns the “aggression” ukrainian as acts of “neo-Nazis”.
The word “invasion” is prohibited, which is why presenters and journalists speak of a “special military operation in Ukraine”.
the ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyis the target of ridicule and comments about his mental health.
The state channel’s chief war correspondent, Yevgeny Poddubny, who escorts Russian troops out of Kyivrecently stated that Ukraine’s actions “they delay the advance of the Russian troops but they will not stop it”.
Although it is currently difficult to assess Russian support for the war, a poll last week by the Russian consultancy VTsIOMconsidered close to the government, indicated that 71% of Russians support the invasion and that the number is increasing.
“Not everyone in Russia understands what is happening”says Kadri Liik, an analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “Russian information space was already tightly controlled and now it is even more so”he added.
“Military bases” called Facebook
Other programs echo the story imposed by the Kremlin, especially the programs of the presenters Vladimir Solovyov and Dmitry Kiselyov, both on the sanctioned list of the European Union (EU).
Kiselyov, one of the most powerful figures in the Russian media, already warned in 2014 that Russia could convert to United States on “radioactive ash”.
“Our submarines are capable of firing 500 nuclear warheads to ensure the destruction of the United States and all NATO countries”declared after Putin ordered to put its nuclear forces on alert.
A recent guest of Solovyov on his talk show was the editor-in-chief of state television Russia Today (RT)Margarita Simonyan, who said that Russia should adopt a policy similar to that of Chinawhich prohibits foreign social networks.
“We admitted in our country, years ago, a foreign army, we allowed military bases with the name of Facebook and things like that. Now we are surprised that this foreign army is shooting at us”he declared.
Alexei Navalny, the main opponent of the Kremlin and currently in jail after surviving a poisoning, said he was “shocked” before the media landscape in Russia. “Soon you (Russians) will have the same access to information as I did in prison. I mean, nothing.”he tweeted.
Source: Gestion
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