The RRT Concern (KRRT) has shut removed Espresso, Pryamiy and Channel 5 from the digital terrestrial network. The TV channels sent letters to the President, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting regarding the matter.

Journalists of Pryamiy and Channel 5 said that they adhere to the principle of a unified state information policy, and the lion's share of airtime was transferred to a joint national marathon, following the presidential decree/

The channels were shut down at night, and journalists consider it illegal, as there was no decision from the National Council or the National Security and Defense Council, and call such actions a "diversion" by the director of the RRT Concern Kyrylo Danilov.

The channels ask the president to intervene and protect "the right of journalists who are professionally fighting on the information front to a profession and freedom of speech." They demand that KRRT resume the broadcasting.

Espresso said that on the basis of relevant agreements, daily information blocks of foreign partners are regularly aired - news from the BBC (Great Britain), Radio Liberty, Voice of America (USA), France 24 (France). And in their termination the broadcaster sees provocation against the partner countries.

"The deliberate continuation of the disconnection of the Ukrainian TV channel Espresso from the Ukrainian digital network T2 can be regarded as participation in the war against Ukraine on the side of the Kremlin. We appealed to the authorized law enforcement agencies to verify these facts and open criminal proceedings against officials of the RRT Concern for collaboration, treason and other crimes, which will be reported to all embassies of partner countries in Ukraine," said Espresso.

Detector Media asked members of the National Council, the State Special Communications Service, which the KRRT is subordinated to, and Zeonbud to comment on the shutdown. However, the State Special Communications Service and the digital provider have not yet sent answers. The National Council noted that all decisions of the regulator are on the website. Among them, there are no decisions to disable Espresso, Pryamiy and Channel 5.

The digital television provider Zeonbud, which is currently subordinated to the state-owned RRT Concern, is unaware of the reasons for the shutdown of the channels. Volodymyr Manzhosov, the head of the company, said this in a comment to Detector Media.

According to him, Zeonbud now performs a pure technical function and simply rebroadcasts the signal. "We didn't notice anything at all," he said.