Photo from vedomosti.ru
The radio station's chief Venediktov, in turn, explains no Ukrainian permission is needed as the branch will broadcast about Ukraine for Russia.
A member of Ukraine's National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council says that the regulator will not let Russia's radio station Echo of Moscow open a Kyiv bureau.
"I don't even know where Mr. Venediktov [the editor-in-chief of the station] will need to apply to for permission to set up an Echo of Moscow branch in Ukraine. The National Council's doors for him and his 'dear friends' will certainly be closed," member of the Council Serhiy Kostynskyi said on Facebook.
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As previously reported, Editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow Alexei Venediktov earlier said that a bureau of his radio station may appear in Kyiv. He even recently visited Kyiv and had a picture of himself taken next to the Ukrainian SBU Security Service's building, according to fakty.ua.
Commenting on his plans on the air of Echo of Moscow, he said the Ukrainian branch of the radio station did not need a permit of the Ukrainian regulator because it would broadcast for Russia only, according to the nv.ua media outlet.
"I want to open a bureau there [in Ukraine] to broadcast the Ukrainian view here, in Russia, for our listeners. [It's not] we [who will broadcast] there [in Ukraine] – we are already there, but you [will be covered] here [in Russia]. In order for Russian listeners to get the point of view of Ukrainian politicians, diplomats, actors, leaders of public opinion, and just citizens," Venediktov said.
Echo of Moscow is a 24/7 commercial Russian radio station based in Moscow. It broadcasts in many Russian cities, some of the former Soviet republics, and via the Internet. Alexei Venediktov is its editor-in-chief. Gazprom Media holds 66.6% of the radio station's shares, while Echo of Moscow Holding has 33.4%.