Construction of a new TV tower in Luhansk region will provide access to the Ukrainian broadcasting in the liberated territories and will distribute the signal to the occupied territories

The Monitoring mission of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine visited the liberated border village Dmytrivka of  Luhansk region, which at the beginning of September 2014, had come under fire of "smerchs" ("tornadoes") by the Russian army from the Russian Federation territory.

After monitoring, people’s deputy of Ukraine and Advisor to the Minister on ensuring TV and radio broadcasting, who is located in ATO zone in the framework of the monitoring mission, Oleksandr Brygynets, found that nearly every resident of the village has a satellite antenna.

"The access to Ukrainian media in Dmytrivka is available to all residents: most people have installed satellite antennas; others have terrestrial antennas receiving a signal of several Ukrainian TV channels. However, after the implemented initiative of MIP, which is the construction of new TV towers in Luhansk region, the access to broadcasting will have the whole Luhansk region, and also occupied territories" – reports Oleksandr Brygynets.

"When was the aggravation of the confrontation in 2014 and the war came to our land, we were left without television and radio, and live without news is simply terrible, - tells the employee of the local village Council Olha Makhno. - We did not wait for the restoration of broadcasting and started to buy satellite antennas. So, despite all the difficulties with access to the TV channels, we have the information".

Oleksandr Brygynets noted that now people have become much more interested in politics than before. "Especially in rural areas 2-3 years ago people preferred to watch the series, now most of them are interested in politics and news of local media".

We note that the Commission on ensuring stable operation of national television and radio broadcasting under MIP initiated the building of three TV towers in ATO zone, one of which will be constructed in Luhansk region, and will be provided by the partners. This will not only ensure access to a full Ukrainian broadcasting in the liberated territories but will spread the signal to the occupied territories.