Russian troops took over the building of the local mediaholding “PRO100” in Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia region.
This was reported on the Facebook page of the newspaper “Berdyansk News”.
“At the moment, about 50 of the editorial staff members in the building of the “PRO100″ information group have been abducted by the Russian armed forces. They aren’t letting our boys out. There is no contact with them! Russian propaganda is broadcasting on the radio. A sniper is on the roof,” the editorial office wrote.
As one of the mediaholding’s employees told the IMI regional representative in Zaporizhzhia oblast, a number of armed men had come to the editorial office to talk to editors and journalists and “explain their position,” including why they are in the city and what their tasks are. They communicated with the whole team. According to IMI, so far all members of the editorial board have left the editorial office, while the russian troops remained in the PRO100 building.
The mediaholding includes the “Yug” TV company, the “Azovska khvylia” radio station, the “Berdyanski Vidomosti” and “Vidomosti Pivdnya” newspapers.
It is known that leaflets in Russian are being distributed all over the city which contain “explainations of the events” from Russian perspective, emphasizes the “peaceful intentions” of the troops, mentions the unification of Russia and Ukraine. Among other things, the leaflet states that “ignoring the presence of Russian authorities in the Berdyansk district by the leadership of the city and the district is considered a criminal offence,” and “actions of the leadership, which withdrew from cooperation, are declared illegal until negotiations are held.”
Earlier, Russian troops took over the Azovska Khvylia radio station in Berdyansk.