A Ukrainian rolling news channel leading a fightback against Kremlin propaganda about the Russian invasion is now available to British viewers.
Ukraina 24 is now broadcast on Britain’s biggest free-to-air television service to ensure refugees reaching the UK can access impartial news in their own language.
The 24-hour network that features content from seven Ukrainian broadcasters is available on Freeview through Channelbox, a service offering 35 news and entertainment channels to TVs with an internet connection.
The channel broadcast from Kyiv is arriving on UK shores following an agreement struck between Channelbox and the Association for International Broadcasting.
Simon Spanswick, the association’s chief executive, said it had been working to bring the channel to the UK since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion.
“We wanted to make a contribution to support Ukraine and its citizens,” he added. “Bringing Ukraina 24 to viewers in the UK, whether expatriates or refugees, helps maintain links at the most difficult times of their lives.”
Ukraina 24 is being produced by 1+1 International, Ukraine 24, Inter +, ICTV, UATV and Suspline media companies in a bid to create accurate and impartial news that defies disinformation peddled by Russia.
It is available on Freeview channel 271 or on smartphones by downloading the Channelbox app.
Its UK debut comes less than a month after the media regulator permanently banned RT after ruling that it was “not fit” to broadcast following a wave of potential impartiality breaches.
Ofcom said it was impossible for RT to comply with its broadcasting rules since Mr Putin outlawed independent journalism by punishing journalists with up to 15 years in prison if failed to tow the Kremlin party line.
RT was previously fined £200,000 by Ofcom in 2019 for breaching impartiality rules over its reporting of the Salisbury poisonings and the war in Syria.
Britain is poised to welcome tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees after 150,000 people showed an interest in housing those fleeing the war.
Tanya Kronfli of Channelbox said: “We are honoured to be part of this project and to be able to help people of Ukraine to have access to the news from home. This is true lifeline broadcasting and demonstrates the way that modern technologies like connected TVs are able to support people at times of crisis.”
