Mikhail Kamynin, the Spokesman of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Answers a Question from RIA Novosti Regarding the Ending of the Broadcasting of the Russian TV Channel RTR Planet on the Territory of Ukraine

Unofficial translation from Russian

Question: How could you comment on the decision of Ukraine's National Radio and Television Council to exclude the TV channel RTR Planet from the social package of the Kyiv cable TV company Volia?

Answer: Indeed, the National Radio and Television Council of Ukraine on March 9 took that decision. The Russian TV channel RTR Planet, which had been accessible to nearly 2 million Russian speaking viewers, has been replaced by an off air channel of the Kyiv Regional State Television and Radio Company (KRSTRC).

In our view, both legal and political aspects are present here.

In the first case the Ukrainian side has itself violated the new version of the Radio and Television Law that makes it incumbent upon cable operators to distribute only over-the-air channels (which KRSTRC is not) and to include other channels into packages at a cable operator's discretion. Ukrainian justice is now dealing with this legal nuance, which we hope will give a proper and objective assessment to this fact.

Secondly, one has the feeling that there is a definite line on ousting the Russian product from the informational space of Ukraine, especially from such an important sphere as radio and television broadcasting. By the way, this is far from being a single instance. For example, in the western areas of Ukraine local authorities use every possibility to cut the number of Russian channels in the cable network. In particular, Avers Radio and Television Company suspended RTR Planet broadcasts in the Volyn Region this past January citing "one-sided coverage of the election campaign in Ukraine before the end of the elections" as a pretext. Meanwhile, television channels of other neighbor countries are being actively introduced into local cable networks. Whereas Russian channels, designated as foreign, are included in a network on the residual principle. In addition, plans are being developed to toughen the rules for activities of cable operators.

Things are not well with Russian radio broadcasting in Ukraine either. On the long, medium and ultra-short wavebands here, with rare exceptions in the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea, our radio stations are almost inaudible. Even they in the National Radio and Television Council itself acknowledge the fact of the "Ukrainianization of the air."

As was to be expected, the RTR Planet television program story has alarmed the TV viewers of Ukraine, and above all the Russian-speaking population of Kyiv. There has been an outpour of appeals and protests to various authorities.

Naturally we cannot but take into account these opinions and regard the decision of the Ukrainian National Radio and Television Council as an attempt to create all manner of obstacles to television broadcasting from Russia. We hope that common sense will eventually prevail and Kyivans will again be able to watch RTR Planet programs.

April 25, 2006