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OSCE report on media freedom in Ukraine based on Kiev’s own data — diplomat

As it turns out, OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid is unaware that three Russian-speaking TV channels have been shut down in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman noted

MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid’s unawareness about the shutdown of the Russian-speaking TV channels in Ukraine may indicate that OSCE bases its reports about the media in this country on Kiev’s official data, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Monday.

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EU’s treatment of Russian media deserves a separate discussion at OSCE, says Lavrov

"As it turns out, OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid is unaware that three Russian-speaking TV channels have been shut down in Ukraine. She said so during the press conference in Moscow," the diplomat said in her Telegram channel. "How so? Does OSCE not read the news? We assumed such a development, and we sent materials via our mission in Vienna. To make sure they received it".

In this regard, Zakharova wondered how OSCE monitors the situation in Ukraine, "writes reports and makes conclusions about the freedom of speech".

"It does it the same way it watches over Crimea. Apparently, ‘based on the patient’s own words,’ as they say - meaning, based on the data provided by the Kiev regime," the diplomat concluded.

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