KIEV, November 27 (Sputnik) – Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, Anton Gerashchenko plans to put forward a proposal on the introduction of mandatory media accreditation for Russian journalists, working in Ukraine.
"Today, the work of the new Verkhova Rada is starting. I will propose to impose mandatory accreditation for journalists from the Russian mass media," Gerashchenko wrote on his Facebook page Thursday.
According to Gerashenko, the mandatory accreditation should include a set of rules for Russian journalists that, if broken, would lead to the media workers being "expelled" from the country.
Press freedom in Ukraine has steadily deteriorated since Kiev launched a military operation in the country's southeastern regions, aimed at suppressing independence supporters, who refused to recognize the new government, which came to power as a result of the February coup. Journalists have been detained, kidnapped, tortured and killed in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has ordered cable operators across the country to stop airing 14 Russian television channels, including RT, RBK-TV and LifeNews.
