In Ukraine, anti-Ukrainian TV channels 112 Ukraine, NewsOne and ZIK were closed due to the imposition of sanctions. Earlier these TV channels were banned in Europe and several other countries, as was reported in the publication of the Evropeyska Pravda.
Russian channels in Ukraine began to be closed in 2014 – Since Russia's aggression in Donbas in 2014, Ukraine has banned several Russian TV channels. Such decision, however, was not approved by the West due to the violation of the freedom of speech.
Europe was not supporting the ban until the Russian interference in the political processes of some European states were recorded. Since then European politicians began to block the broadcasting of Russian channels in their countries.
In 2015, Moldova imposed a partial ban regarding the broadcast of Russian news and political programs only. Then, the Baltic countries supported the decision. In 2016, Latvia banned the Russia-RTR channel. Then Lithuania pointed out the incitement to war and blocked the broadcast of the RTR "Planet" for 3 months. Already in 2019, the broadcast of several Russian channels was influenced by the imposition of sanctions against Yuri Kovalchuk, who owns the whole media group. All his TVchannels have been banned in the Baltic States (these are 9 TV channels).
In 2020, all TV channels of the Russian media group RT (formerly called Russia Today) were banned in Latvia. The country called on other States to follow the suit. Lithuania has joined.
It is noted that the EU did not reproach the Baltic countries for their decision to ban the broadcasting of Russian channels. Since 2014, the real purpose of Russian broadcasters has begun to be more understood there.