The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has issued an official response to an open letter calling on media outlets to remove presenters who were involved in pro-Russian propaganda in the past from the United News marathon. The list includes Vasyl Holovanov, Tigran Martirosyan, Natasha Vlashchenko, Tetiana Honcharova, Nazar Dovhy, Volodymyr Poluyev, Anna Stepanets and Anastasia Dauhule.

"In response to a statement by some members of the journalistic community regarding sanctions in the form of removal from the air of journalists who worked at Viktor Medvedchuk's channels before the war, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine expresses its position. The ICCP is concerned that in these critical times for Ukraine, the country's information space is being filled with conflicts within society,” the ministry said in its statement. “On February 24, the large media groups appealed to the ICCP and the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting to unite and create a united information front to combat Russian propaganda. However, as we can see, our successful resistance and, in fact, victory in the information war with Russia shows that the idea and implementation were quite successful. This became possible thanks to the efforts of all editors, journalists and presenters, who have been working as a united front for two months now. The ICCP has no illusions about Medvedchuk's contribution to the current war with Russia. At the same time, we are deeply convinced that today is not the time for public lustration and incitement to conflict within the country and the professional journalistic community. Today, it is important who stayed, sided with Ukraine and proves his position every day with his conscientious work around the clock. Today, we need every person, every specialist who works on the united information state front to defend our statehood and victory over the Russian invaders. Therefore, we consider it expedient right now, during the war, first of all, to pay attention to the position taken by the hosts on the list."

The statement also added that the Ministry "cannot, given its powers, and does not consider it appropriate to interfere in the personnel policy of channels and media groups," and called for "acting as a united front and not inciting hostility within the country."

Media Group Ukraine also issued a statement on the matter on its Facebook page:

"Since the first days of the war, media groups have joined forces to create a united information front to counter Russian propaganda. As before the large-scale military operations, since February 24, the channels of our groups have been following a completely pro-Ukrainian policy and broadcast only those things that unite and strengthen Ukrainian society and our state. In the same way, every journalist, presenter, and editor who works at the channels of the groups is an honest employee of the Ukrainian information front” the statement reads.

The media group reminded that the presenters listed in the statement - Natasha Vlashchenko, Vasyl Holovanov and Tigran Martirosyan, joined 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 benefit to 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 media group said that host Tigran Martirosyan "did not leave the studio even under fire" and has been working on the joint telethon since the first days of its operation. And Vasyl Holovanov has been working on the FreeDom marathon since the beginning of his broadcast.

"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 one on which our common Victory in the war directly depends," the statement said. The media group also suggested reading the public statements by Tigran Martirosyan , Vasyl Holovanov and Natasha Vlashchenko.

Inter also stated that they have no doubts about the pro-Ukrainian civic stance of their host Anastasia Dauhule. The channel stated that Dauhule "never worked for the so-called Medvedchuk or Poroshenko TV channels and never engaged in political propaganda."

“Every journalist, host, editor who works for the groups' channels is working on the Ukrainian information frontline. The NIS editorial office was very surprised to see Anastasia Dauhule on the list of the 'undesirable' TV hosts," Inter’s statement reads.

The channel stressed that Dauhule has never hosted any political programs despite having worked there for 15 years.

“Anastasia Dauhule has been working with the NIS Group as a news host of the United News telethon since the first day of the war. In fact, she was one of the few employees who were not afraid to come to the channel and broadcast under fire. All this time, Anastasia has been working in Kyiv, even though she had the opportunity to go abroad. Together with the editorial office, she was in the studio around the clock and worked in the capital during the most difficult time from the military point of view. Just like her colleagues from other TV channels – Tetiana Honcharova, Nazar Dovhy, and Tigran Martirosyan," the statement reads.

In addition, the channel noted that Anastasia Dauhule, like most Inter TV hosts and their colleagues from other channels, works as a correspondent and films stories, namely from dangerous areas.

"We believe that Anastasia Dauhule's professional contribution to the United News telethon is undeniable. We have no doubts about her professionalism or her pro-Ukrainian civic stance, which she has repeatedly stated publicly," Inter said.

Anastasia Dauhule herself called the media community's address a "witch hunt."

On May 12, Ukrainian journalists and human rights groups called for the exclusion of hosts who have previously played along with the enemy's rhetoric and used to spread kremlin propaganda for many years.
This is first of all about Vasyl Holovanov, Tigran Martirosyan, Natasha Vlashchenko, Tetiana 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.

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.