Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov announced the forced transfer of all assets of his Media Group Ukraine holding to the state. This was reported on the website of Akhmetov's group of companies System Capital Management. In particular, the TV channels "Ukraine" and "Ukraine 24" will go to Ukraine
“I have made the forced decision to withdraw my investment company SCM from the media business. This week, Media Group Ukraine will waive in favor of the state all broadcast and satellite television licenses of our channels and licenses of our print media in Ukraine. We will also terminate the activities of MSU online media.”
According to Akhmetov, the decision was dictated by the entry into force of the law "On the prevention of threats to national security associated with the excessive influence of persons with significant economic and political weight in public life (oligarchs)".
“As the largest private investor in the Ukrainian economy, I have repeatedly said that I was not, am not and will not be an oligarch,” says Akhmetov. “The short six-month legal deadline for the sale of media assets and the Russian military aggression against Ukraine prevent SCM from selling its media business on market terms.”
Holding "Media Group Ukraine" owns: national broadcast TV channel "Ukraine"; entertainment youth channel NLO TV; thematic channel Indigo TV; thematic TV channels "Football 1/2/3"; national information TV channel "Ukraine 24"; regional "34 channel"; satellite broadcasting operator Xtra TV; OTT platform OLL.TV; international channels Ukraine 1, Ukriane 2, NLO TV 2; production companies Tele Pro, Dopomozhemo TV; media agency of a full cycle "Media Partnership Baying"; site segodnya.ua; cross-platform project Vogue UA.
The passage of the Oligarch Law, which banned the country's richest men from funding political parties and owning the media (even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022), has soured Zelenskiy's relationship with the country's richest man, Akhmetov. TV channels associated with the businessman began broadcasting criticism of the president and his cabinet, recalling offshore companies and blaming his team for the energy crisis.