Ukraine’s Targeted War Against Journalists

Every war has its victims, and these are real losses. As for the harassment of Russian journalists, the situation is much more complicated and serious than it seems at first glance.

It would be a mistake to say that we did not expect an ideological war to take a human toll. Every war has its victims, and these are real losses. As for the harassment of Russian journalists, the situation is much more complicated and serious than it seems at first glance. And regarding the Ukrainian authorities, its aim is to destroy not only Russian journalists, but also its own, who don't write what Kiev likes. The difference is that opposition journalists are harassed by Ukraine’s Security Council and the National Guards, whereas Russian journalists – as well all other enemies, which the Ukrainian authorities understands to be all residents of Novorossiya, including children – are being shelled by mortars.

However, there is a deeper reason for hunting objectionable journalists all over the world. I wrote about this recently in the article, “Why Ukraine Today cannot compete with Russia Today" (http://ria.ru/analytics/20140908/1023254413.html). The point is that global policy in the US style requires that professional journalism be replaced with an institution that looks like the media but is essentially a system of public disinformation that is aimed at destroying the press.

No justification is needed for spreading disinformation. The Ukrainian media, which are mostly owned by groups of oligarchs, are fulfilling their mission of dumbing down the public very successfully. I think their bosses are content; now, not only Ukrainians, but also Europeans believe that Ukraine is at war with Russia rather than its own population. This can be countered with authentic information only. After all, the world is not ruled by marginal or zombie or kamikaze politicians. Any state that wants to survive in the modern world needs to rely on more or less authentic information rather than fairy tales or fake stories.

Many media are writing that Russia’s primary task today is to win the information war. But this is not really a goal in itself, but a means of reaching other goals. Russia wants to preserve its sovereignty in the post-Soviet space, and protect Russian speakers in Ukraine that are threatened by Bandera-style gangs and NATO occupiers.

Ukraine’s Minister of the Interior Arsen Avakov sent an address to President Petro Poroshenko and the Foreign Ministry requesting that the European Union and the United States ban Russian journalists and owners of Russian media from visiting them. Avakov’s address is merely a provocation, and an attempt at PR. He wants to be seen as a staunch fighter for national interests. Of course, it’s much easier to fight against journalists. He is not being sent to the front, after all.

It is worth mentioning Jen Psaki, spokesperson for the US Department of State. Her main role is not to inform journalists about the official position of the department, but the opposite: to prevent the media from accessing official information. So who can have grievances against her? Nobody should expect much from her under the circumstances. Any information leak can be explained by her stupidity, and her answers to all questions by journalists can be attributed to her incompetence. This is exactly what the Department of State needs. 

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