The top management of Ukraine’s leading broadcasters have addressed the directors of Russian national channels in an open letter with a call to be objective in their reports about events in the country. The open letter is directed towards Konstantin Ernst, GM of Perviy, Oleg Dobrodeev, GM of VGTRK, and Vladimir Kulistikov, GM of NTV Russia:

‘We have known each other for a long time now: we have worked together on many joint projects, we have similar views on life, and we all madly love TV.

We know and believe that you, same as us, do not want a war between the two brotherly nations – Russia and Ukraine.

We are all patriots of our own country, we are all patriots and each of us has this special responsibility on our shoulders in this complicated and explosive moment.

We ask you to cover all the events and affairs that are happening today in Ukraine in an open, considerable and objective manner. We ask you to understand and accept the position of all central Ukrainian channels and take each word responsibly. We do not have the right to exasperate enmity between the brotherly Russian and Ukrainian nations by airing unverified information, or information that bends the truth.

We are sure that, in case this current confrontation grows into warfare, there will be no winners; all of us will lose. Our people, who are inseparably linked to each other by history, faith, and blood, will lose. We believe that together we can do everything to prevent that from happening.

We believe that there will be peace between our nations.’

The letter is signed by Anna Bezludnaya (Inter Media Group), Vladimir Borodyansky (StarLightMedia), Fyodor Ogarkov (Media Group Ukraine) and Alexander Tkachenko (1+1 Media).