The Latvian Council of Public Electronic Media (SEPLP) have generously donated essential equipment to the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC/Suspilne), a gesture that has significantly bolstered the operational capacity to report continuously during the war, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) informs.

Latvia Ministry of Culture (LMoC) allocated nearly €600k to SEPLP to fund the initiative, with UA:PBC and the EBU working closely together to ensure the purchase, distribution and connection of the necessary equipment, including generators, uninterruptable power supply units, autonomous heaters and mobile charging stations.

Since the outbreak of the full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine, UA:PBC has worked tirelessly to keep its citizens informed 24 hours a day. The collaborative efforts of the EBU, SEPLP and provider agency Crown Agents has ensured a safeguard against the power supply disturbances in testament to the solidarity and collaborative efforts of international partners in upholding the vital role of media in times of conflict.

Chairman of the Board of UA:PBC Mykola Chernotytskyi said: “Thanks to the EBU, SEPLP and the Latvian government, as well as Crown Agents, power supply disturbances will no longer be able to delay us from fulfilling our duties.”

Latvia Culture Minister Agnese Logina said: "True information becomes especially valuable in times of war. When the power supply infrastructure of Ukraine's media was damaged as a result of Russian attacks, the citizens not only failed to receive current news, they also lost opportunities for mutual communication. To allow the public media of Ukraine to resume broadcasting, the Latvian government decided to donate funds for the purchase of essential broadcasting equipment.”

SEPLP Chairman Jānis Siksnis said: "We are pleased that we were able to help our Ukrainian colleagues in such a difficult time. In such cases, the international cooperation network of public broadcasters is especially important, the members of which are both Ukrainian and Latvian public media. The mutual assistance of media organizations makes it possible to better overcome the upheavals caused by the war and strengthens freedom of speech and quality journalism, which are key values of European democracy.”

EBU Director General Noel Curran said: “The EBU is grateful to the Latvian Public Electronic Media for the generous funding they have provided to support UA:PBC. The equipment purchased with the money they’ve donated will enable journalists to report throughout the war without interruption. This is a great example of solidarity and support in difficult times and is highly appreciated by UA:PBC and the EBU. We are proud to have assisted in coordinating this support.”