According to Reinikss, Russian soldiers are portrayed as heroes and "fighters for freedom" on television. The singer sharply criticized such a presentation of information and noted that he is glad that such television content is limited in Latvia. He compared what is happening on screen to a quite convincing "free theater." The publication sparked an active discussion. One commentator noted that propaganda exists in different countries, and people are usually inclined to believe that disinformation is spread somewhere among their neighbors, but not by themselves. Other participants in the discussion supported Reinikss. One user recalled how, after the crash of the Malaysian passenger plane MH17, he watched Russian television for about 15 minutes and then turned it off. Another described the picture shown there as a "parallel world," which, in his opinion, is difficult for a critically thinking person to watch for long. However, an opposing position was also voiced. One participant in the discussion stated that he does not understand the need to restrict Russian television channels in Latvia. According to him, he knows Russian well, enjoys Russian programs, concerts, and entertainment shows, and therefore believes he should have the ability to choose what to watch for himself. Another commentator reminded that a formal ban does not mean the complete disappearance of Russian television from the information space of Latvia. According to him, such channels are still relatively easy to find on the internet, and some residents of the country continue to watch them. ## ## Russian television channels were restricted in Latvia after the start of the war After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the distribution of registered Russian television channels in Latvia was significantly restricted. In June 2022, the National Council for Electronic Media (NEPLP) banned the distribution of the remaining 80 registered Russian television channels in the country. The decision came into effect on June 9, after which the retransmission of registered Russian television channels in Latvia was halted. However, Russian television content has not completely disappeared. Some users continue to access it through internet platforms, apps, and Smart TVs.
