Yulia Navalny spoke out against funding Radio Liberty, instead calling for support for the Russian opposition media. She said that Radio Liberty is an American media outlet that reports on Russia, and support should be provided to Russian media outlets.
Let’s start with the fact that Radio Liberty broadcasts not only to Russia, but also in other languages to various countries. It seems at least strange not to support, for example, the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty, but to give these funds to Russian media.
Even more surprising is that none of the media outlets, likely referred to in Navalny’s statements, condemned the occupation of Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, or called Russian military personnel criminals and murderers, rather than “our boys.”
Once, academician Andrei Sakharov, from the rostrum of the First Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR, was the first to openly declare the criminal war in Afghanistan. But back in 1980, while in exile, he demanded in letters to the state leadership the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.
Where are the Russian media outlets today that demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from all of Ukraine, including Crimea? There are none. So Europe, which seeks to support these media outlets, is supporting Putin’s terrorism — even if these media outlets themselves supposedly oppose him.
What should the European Union support? I have no objection to the creation of media programmes for Russians in Europe or Ukraine. After all, a coalition of countries that oppose the aggressor must use all tools, including information ones. A Russian-language channel can be created, for example, in Poland or Ukraine. But its editorial policy should be determined by these countries. It is unacceptable for the EU to finance media with imperial narratives, even if they formally criticize Putin, but do not recognize the need to liberate all occupied territories, including Crimea.
It is much more important to support Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar-language media in Ukraine. They are struggling to survive because of the war, but they are critically important for resisting Russian propaganda in Ukrainian society. After all, supporting media in languages that Russia is trying to destroy for imperial reasons is an important step in countering its imperial plans.
Mykola Kniazhytskyi
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