A dozen TV channels broadcast via the Astra satellite experienced issues and were suspended from broadcasting as a result of a Russian attack on Ukraine’s satellite TV on April 17, Ukrainska Pravda reports.

In particular, 1+1 Media, one of the largest media holdings in Ukraine, said it experienced issues with satellite broadcasting.

"There have been further attempts to disrupt Ukraine’s satellite broadcasting on Astra 4A 11766 H transponder, which broadcasts 39 TV channels, including 1+1 Media’s own and partner TV channels, including 1+1 Ukraine, 1+1 Marathon, 2+2, TET, PlusPlus, Bigudi, KVARTAL TV and others," the media group said.

Ukrainian TV viewers were urged to ensure they have access to TV signals from an alternative source, such as T2, cable, OTT or the Internet (TV channels’ websites and YouTube).

Channel 24 also said it experienced issues with the Astra 4A 11766 H transponder; the channel urged its viewers to follow its broadcast on YouTube. "This spring, the Russian Federation started to actively jam the signals of Ukrainian TV channels on Astra 4A and Hot Bird 13E satellites owned by European telecommunications companies SES and Eutelsat," Channel 24 said.

Freedom TV channel also experienced disruptions, with attackers jamming the Hot Bird 13G satellite signal and temporarily broadcasting alternative content on the channel: around 15:00 today, a TV channel whose logo read "ZA Zhizn!" ["To Life!" In Russian, with the Latin letter "Z" in the original strongly evocative of the "Z" symbols used by the Russian military during the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – ed.]. Half an hour later, Freedom was able to resume its broadcast from the Hot Bird 13G satellite.