Blocking of the Ukrainian FM radio signal by Russian stations has been recorded in all 19 settlements in the south of the Kherson Region visited by human rights activists. The Crimean Human Rights Group monitored the situation with FM broadcasting in this region in July 2021.
For instance, the Ukrainian radio broadcasting ‘suffers’ from jamming by Russian radio stations in such settlements as Schaslyvtseve, Heniches’ka Hirka, Heniches’k, Chonhar, Mykolayivka, Novooleksiyivka, Mayachka, Novotroits’ke, Hromivka, Novomykolayivka, Strohanivka, Hryhorivka, Chaplynka, Myrne, Kalanchak, Oleksandrivka, Khorly, Rozdil’ne, Skadovs’k.
The similar situation of blocking Ukrainian radio stations was recorded on the controlled territory of Ukraine in the close vicinity of the checkpoints of CHAPLYNKA and CHONHAR.
In these cities and villages, the occupation bodies of the Russian Federation have seized fully or partially at least 34 radio frequencies. 37 different Russian radio stations are broadcasting on these frequencies.
The MAYAK and MORE Russian stations have the largest coverage in this region. These stations operate on several Ukrainian frequencies simultaneously. In addition, the Russian signal jams the Ukrainian stations licensed to broadcast on these frequencies in this region.
The MAYAK Radio can be heard at a frequency of 100.9 MHz and at a frequency of 103.5 MHz in all 19 settlements of the monitoring list. In addition, the MAYAK can be heard at 101.4 MHz in 4 settlements and at 106.1 MHz in 2 settlements.
The signal of the MORE Russian radio can be heard at a frequency of 94.6 MHz in 17 settlements out of 19 checked. In addition, this radio also broadcasts at a frequency of 90.8 MHz in 7 settlements from the same list. The signal of this station is also duplicated at 104.1 MHz in 12 settlements and at 105.0 MHz in 5 settlements. Moreover, the MORE Radio broadcasts at 89.1 and 98.9 MHz in 3 settlements.
The invaders’ broadcasting in some cities and villages is powerful, the signal is clear and of high quality. The same stations as in the occupied Crimea broadcast here at the Ukrainian frequencies.
The SPUTNIK Russian radio operates at a frequency of 87.7 MHz in 12 settlements. It also blocks the signal of the Ukrainian radio at a frequency of 100.7 MHz in 3 settlements from the list. The SPUTNIK radio signal has also appeared in 7 settlements at a frequency of 102.3m MHz.
The KRYM Russian radio operates at a frequency of 103.0 MHz in 10 settlements. This radio can be also heard at 106.8 MHz in 5 settlements, at 107.9 MHz in 6 settlements and at 101.4 MHz in 4 settlements.
The VESTI Radio operates at a frequency of 105.9 MHz in 11 settlements. And the ZVEZDA radio of the RF Ministry of Defense is now broadcasting at the frequencies 98.3 MHz and 99.8 MHz in 5 settlements. In addition, the ZVEZDA can be heard at a frequency of 88.3 MHz in 10 settlements.
The VATAN SEDASY Radio broadcasts at a frequency of 99.6 MHz in 12 settlements and at a frequency of 107.8 MHz in 6 settlements from the monitoring list.
In addition to the above-mentioned stations, the following Russian radio stations also freely broadcast at different frequencies in different settlements in the Kherson region:
RUSSKOYE RADIO, ROSSIYA, JAZZ, DANCE FM, KISS FM, KRYM 24, RETRO FM, EUROPE+, NASHE RADIO, DACHA, VERA, PIATNITSA, DOROZHNOYE, and RELAX.
What makes the situation even more complicated is that a high-quality Russian TV signal is also available in this region. At the same time, the quality of the mobile Internet of Ukrainian providers in some villages is unsatisfactory.
For this reason, Ukrainians living in this region are actually deprived of normal access to the Ukrainian information field. At the same time, Russian television and radio broadcasting offers them a high-quality signal from several television and radio stations broadcasting from the occupied Crimea.
The use of hate speech, psycholinguistic manipulations, and other means of affecting the human consciousness on the air of these media makes pro-Russian content influential.
The quality of the occupation broadcasting in the north of Crimea and in the south of the Kherson region has significantly increased recently. This may be explained by a newly launched TV and radio tower that the invaders recently mounted at the CHAPLYNKA checkpoint.
All this constitutes a real threat to the national security of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government must develop and urgently launch an effective resistance campaign to the significant cultural and informational influence of the Russian Federation in the Kherson region.
