National Council on TV, Radio Broadcasting asks suppliers of smartphones, TV, media equipment not to import them from Russia
The National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine appealed to manufacturers and suppliers of television receivers, media players, as well as smartphones and other modern devices that allow the use of special programs for receiving and viewing media information using the Internet, with an urgent request to refuse as soon as possible from the supply of such equipment from the territory of Russia.
As noted in a message on the regulator's website on Thursday, the National Council also asked manufacturers and suppliers of the above-mentioned equipment to refuse from importing into Ukraine equipment manufactured for sale and use in Russia.
The regulator asked for it in connection with the approval by the government of the aggressor state on December 31, 2020 of the list of programs that must be pre-installed on certain types of equipment. In particular, the National Council is afraid that apps for viewing a number of TV channels and services, which are prohibited for distribution on the territory of Ukraine, will be installed on TV sets with the Smart TV function and their analogues.
In addition, mobile apps from companies subject to sanctions on the territory of Ukraine will be installed on smartphones and other portable devices manufactured in Russia, or manufactured for sale and use on its territory.
"We also appeal to retail chains and private entrepreneurs with a request to stop the practice of installing programs that allow a person to view prohibited channels or use prohibited services when selling electronic devices to the end consumer," the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting said in a statement.
The regulator also appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers and the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) with a request to make efforts to prevent the supply of such equipment to Ukraine. "Otherwise, it will lead to the creation of additional risks for public peace, increase the information influence of the aggressor state, and give a new impetus to the development of piracy in Ukraine," the regulator said.