Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Moscow of being “scared” of journalists “who can tell the truth” after the Kremlin tried to block Russians from seeing an interview he was saying about the war in Ukraine had given.
Moscow’s media watchdog Roskomnadzor issued a statement on Sunday warning Russian news agencies not to redistribute or disseminate the interview between Zelenskyy and some of Russia’s most prominent independent journalists.
“Roskomnadzor warns the Russian media not to publish this interview,” the agency said in a statement. “The media conducting the interviews will be subject to scrutiny to determine the extent of responsibility and the appropriate response.”
The journalists who interviewed Zelensky were Ivan Kolpakov of Meduza, a Latvia-based website, Vladimir Solovyov of the Moscow newspaper Kommersant, Tikhon Dzyadko of the recently closed TV Rain channel, and prominent writer Mikhail Zygar. Dmitry Muratov, editor of Novaya Gazeta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize last year, asked Zelenskyj questions before the interview.
Some of the participating outlets have been officially labeled “foreign agents” by the Russian government, Roskomnadzor said in a statement on social media app Telegram. On Monday, Novaya Gazeta said it would stop publishing online and in print following a warning from regulators.
During the interview, Zelenskyy sharply criticized Moscow, but also spoke about a possible agreement to end the war. Ukraine is ready to accept a neutral, non-nuclear status, he said.
Zelenskyj said on Sunday that Moscow was “afraid” of the truth.
“[They] destroyed freedom of expression in their state – [and are] try to destroy the neighboring state. You profile yourself as a global player. And they themselves are afraid of a relatively short conversation with several journalists,” he said during a video address.
“Well, if there’s a reaction like that – then we’re doing everything right. [It] means they’re nervous,” added Zelensky.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN on Monday that Russia is not afraid.
“We have laws and it is very important not to publish information that would constitute a violation of those laws,” Peskov added.
Moscow has cracked down on independent media in the weeks after President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, and many Russian journalists have fled their homeland. Access to foreign media such as the BBC has been restricted.
Russian lawmakers have also criminalized the dissemination of “false” information discrediting the Russian armed forces or calling for sanctions against the country.