Donetsk, Feb 15 - DAN. Google blocked the account of the First Republican Television Channel without viable explanations so its page on YouTube could not be accessed, Donetsk People's Republic First Republican Channel Director General Sergey Pelyanitsin told the Donetsk News Agency on Tuesday.
“On the one hand, it was not unexpected, because when the DPR Information Ministry account was blocked we assumed that they’ll get us - DPR channels - sooner or later,“ Pelyanitsin said. “Our viewers will experience certain inconveniences and it’s negative, but on the other hand, it’s a sort of acknowledgement; we understand that the other side has assessed our efforts and work, its significance and effectiveness.”
The Channel's page was created on YouTube in 2015 and had a 50,000-strong audience, according to the latest data. “We had had no major problems on YouTube before that, and this incident has to do with a new spiral of information war,” he said.
“At present tensions are mounting on all the fronts - virtual, information and real physical ones. Of course, our enemies will try first thing to remove from the media space the information segment which does not suit them. First, they will take out the most effective media outlets,” the director general said.
He added that the DPR First Television Channel has kept the stories that were posted on YouTube. Furthermore, its Telegram. Vkontakte and Odnokslassniki accounts are active. The Channel’s administration plans to develop its page on the Rutube hosting, and considers a number of other web resources.
Earlier this month, YouTube blocked and deleted the accounts of several DPR and LPR information resources without explanations, including the Lugansk Media Centre channel. *jk