Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration has demanded that Kremlin-controlled media stop referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as president. This requirement applies to all media, including television channels and online media, media personnel told Cholod after receiving the instruction.
According to The Moscow Times newspaper, the directive was published on the evening of September 15. The interlocutors of “Cholod” affirm that an attempt is being made to impose new standards on all editorial offices controlled by the Kremlin: from TASS to Ridovka. Such an initiative by the Kremlin would have provoked indignation in certain editorial offices – some employees even threatened to leave their jobs.
Kremlin representatives suggest state media either simply not mention V. Zelensky’s functions or use the phrase “Zelensky regime” when covering the activities of the Ukrainian president. Not to mention titles, this requirement applies both to the main text of publications and to reminders of past events. At the moment, the focus is on headlines – so V. Zelensky is not officially called president when publishing information created by the Kremlin media apparatus.
The RIA Novosti agency, which belongs to the Rossiya Segodnia holding, headed by propagandist Dmitry Kisselyov, who is on the sanctions list, does not qualify V. Zelensky as president in its publications on Monday, September 18, and The Moscow Times also confirmed: the functions of V. Zelensky are not mentioned, the publications contain only the name and surname of the Ukrainian president. The TASS agency continues to call V. Zelenskiy the president of Ukraine.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian authorities have begun to actively monitor the terms used by the media. In early March 2022, the State Duma added several articles to the Russian Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses in order to protect the Russian military in the “information war”.
During the war year – until February 2023 – at least 196 people were accused of spreading military lies (article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code) and discrediting the army (article 280.3 of the Russian Criminal Code) , reports the Setevije svobody project. In 2022 alone, 145 prosecutions were filed against “military liars.” Among them, 21 are against journalists and 13 others are against bloggers and Telegram channel administrators.
At least 52 people are also said to be persecuted for having “discredited the army”. Among them are five bloggers and Telegram channel administrators and two journalists.
Source: The Delfi
