One of such articles regarding the lack of objectivity in reporting on the events in Donbas by Ukrainian and Western media was published on the RIA-Novosti website. Deputy head of the Department for Information and Press of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Maria Zakharova claims that Western media cannot objectively report on the events, as journalists from these media are absent in the ‘ATO zone.’
“There are simply no westerners there (in the East of Ukraine), they do not report on the other side of the conflict, and they get their information exclusively from the government in Kyiv, and that’s it,” says the report. Concrete examples, Zakharova says, is how Euronews channel ‘twisted’ the statements made by Russian MFA Sergey Lavrov about the humanitarian convoy and the fact that when over 400 Ukrainian servicemen crossed the border, the only US correspondent who came to report on this situation were journalists from Bloomberg agency.
Earlier in an interview to Echo Moskv, Maria Zakharova also talked about what she sees as the lack of objectivity in Western media. She offered the same examples, only adding that the words ‘humanitarian convoy’ (meaning the humanitarian convoy from Russia) are sometimes written in quotation marks, thus putting under doubt the content of the cargo.
Western media have been actively reporting on the events in the ATO zone since the beginning. In order to make sure, it is enough to watch the numerous video reports.
Maria Zakharova noted the names of two world-renowned publications, CNN and the New York Times, saying she was curious where these publications get their information from. It is not difficult to make sure that the camera crews of these publications are present in the combat zone. For example, here is the CNN report on the battles for Donetsk Airport.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO1zQYhTvH0
Besides, a special monitoring OSCE mission is present in Ukraine, whose information is cited by Western and Ukrainian media.
In reality, there are numerous examples of Western media camera crews having been present in the ATO zone. One of such examples of the presence of Western journalists in the ATO zone is Polish journalist Pavel Pieniozek who told Radio Liberty about his personal experience and conclusions after speaking to the civilians in Donbas. What is more, he has accreditation from the so-called ‘DNR.’
Russian intelligentsia congress stresses lies present in Russian media
Almost at the same time as the reports on the lack of objectivity in Ukrainian and Western media, news appear of the official address made by the members of the Russian Intelligentsia Congress to the general director of the local First Channel. In their address the members of the congress ask the general director to conduct a work investigation as to why obvious falsifications are being broadcast on First Channel.
“One of the most horrible examples of such falsifications, which were literally turned into a symbol of terror, was the lie spread in July by First Channel that a three-year-old boy was crucified in Sloviansk by the Ukrainian National Guard, as to why, having rapidly found out about the untrue nature of the reports, the editors did not deny them despite the scandalous explosion of discontent among the public,” says the address.
