Ukraine was never a bastion for press freedom …
Ukraine authorities block Russian TV
(3News.nz) – Late Thursday night, clashes broke out in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk between government supporters and a hostile pro-Russian crowd. At one point a pro-Russian mob encircled and threw objects at a small huddle of people, shouting for them to get on their knees. At least one person died in the turmoil.
Rossiya-1, another state station, on the same evening reported that the incident had been provoked by “special forces” of the Maidan, the informal name of the movement that brought about last month’s ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.
Ukraine’s pushback against the Kremlin-led smear campaign has not been much more sophisticated.
Broadcast authorities there on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the signal of Russian state-controlled television stations, a move that drew swift indignation from Moscow and international media advocacy groups alike. [Who is Rada MP Mykola Knyazhytsky?]
People in Russia’s provinces, where Internet penetration is weak, are particularly prone to one-sided information.
- ○ Major Ukrainian TV Provider Drops Russian Channels ‘to ensure national security’
○ Oligarchs and Media Grab In Ukraine – 2013
○ CPJ strongly protests the silencing of the Chornomorska, Simferopol, Dzhankoy, and Kerch TV stations in Crimea (1999)
What has Russia in common with Israel and Egypt? Indeed, a ban or policy to curtail NGOs seen as foreign agents …
○ Russia: “Foreign Agents” Law Hits Hundreds of NGOs
Continued below thr fold …
Ukraine: The Pissing Contest Continues
(Moon of Alabama) – Finally a major U.S. paper is picking up on the problem of supporting a “revolution” that is driven by fascists: Ukraine’s Threat from Within – Neofascists are as much a menace to Ukraine as Putin’s actions in Crimea. [Los Angeles Times]
I for one do not consider “Putin’s actions” in Crimea, i.e. the Russian Federation counter move to the “western” supported coup in Kiev, a “menace”. But if claiming such makes it possible to talk about the biggest problem Ukraine will have for a while so be it.
Today Russia vetoed an UN resolution against the Crimea referendum. The U.S. ambassador called Russia “isolated”. Well, how many times was the U.S. the only one voting no on a resolution against Israel? How “isolating” was that?
- Some added links:
○ The Failure of German Leadership: Merkel Whores For Washington by Paul Craig Roberts
○ Stephen Cohen’s analysis of the Ukranian crisis @DemocracyNow
○ Attempt to jam Russian satellites carried out from Western Ukraine
○ Ukrainian CyberBerkut takes down NATO websites
