"Media Group Ukraine" does not doubt the pro-Ukrainian stance of the hosts of Medvedchuk's TV channels

"Media Group Ukraine" stated that it had no doubts about the pro-Ukrainian civic stance of the TV hosts whom the media community called for excluding from national telethons because of their pro-russian narratives.

This is said in the media holding's statement.

"As for the journalists mentioned in the media community's address, it should be noted that the mentioned journalists joined the 'Media Group Ukraine' long before the war. This decision was neither political, nor imposed by anyone, nor controlled by anyone. This is the personnel policy of the media group, which is based solely on the professionalism of journalists and their benefits for the channels.

"We have no doubt about their professionalism as journalists or their pro-Ukrainian civic stance, which they have repeatedly stated publicly. Every day they work on the information front for the sake of our Victory and the future of Ukraine," the statement reads.

The media group notes that among the journalists working on the "United News" national telethon since the first days of the war, Tigran Martirosyan has been one of those who did not leave the studio even under fire. Vasily Golovanov has been working for FREEDOM ever since the project was founded.

"So we ask you not to manipulate facts and statements at this difficult time for the country, when we all have to act as a united front. Especially today, because the work of journalists is extremely important and our common Victory in the war directly depends on it," the statement reads.

In addition, the media group suggested reading the public statements by Тigram Martirosyan, Vasyl Holovanov and Natasha Vlashchenkо.

As IMI reported, on May 12, Ukrainian journalists and human rights groups called for the exclusion of hosts who have previously played along with the enemy's rethoric and used to spread kremlin propaganda for many years.

This is first of all about Vasyl Holovanov, Tigran Martirosyan, Natasha Vlashchenko, Tetyana Honcharova, Nazar Dovhyy, Volodymyr Poluyev, Anna Stepanets, Anastasia Dauhule.

The authors of the appeal believe that now Ukraine has the chance to clear out our media space and to set up an institute of reputation to protect Ukraine from repeating the story in the future.

On May 13, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine opposed the exclusion of pro-russian hosts from the telethons. The MCIP believes that today is not the time for public lustrations and incitement of conflicts within the country and the professional journalist community. The MCIP advises to pay attention to the position taken by the listed pro-russian hosts during the war instead.

The address has been signed by over 326 journalists, media, NGOs and movements. 27 people from "Media Group Ukraine," in particular from Ukraine and Ukraine 24 channels, signed the appeal.