Ukrainian film, TV groups urge boycott of Russian media, business ties

Ukrainian film and TV bodies have begun calls for a boycott of Russian media and the severing of business ties with Russian entities.

Russia's film and TV industry has been steadily growing in recent years, with events such as the Key Buyers Event -- an annual content showcase organised by Russian film promotion body Roskino -- drawing 200 international buyers last year.

Now, many of those relationships will be tested on a global stage as Ukraine's media organisations ask for a boycott of all business dealings with Russia, reports variety.com.

The organisers of Kiev Media Week, a 10-year-old international film and TV market serving Eastern Europe, has called for a ban on Russian propaganda.

In a letter issued widely on Saturday to international media, including 'Variety', the group asked supporters of Ukraine to stop broadcasting any Russian channels from their respective countries.

"Putin's regime escalated the current war with all the weapons available, which means the media sphere to be a battlefield worldwide," reads the letter.

"Therefore, we call on the international media community to resist the poisonous russian (sic) propaganda and unite the efforts to switch off russian (sic) TV broadcasting in your countries."

Kiev Media Week organisers have thrown their support behind Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, which on Saturday revealed plans for a unified media strategy across all of Ukraine.