According to Ivars Abolins, head of the Latvian National Electronic Media Council, the management of the TV channel did not grasp the seriousness of each violation.
“Because the violations threaten national security and public order, NEPLP decided this morning to revoke the broadcasting license of Dozhd TV” (the organization had been added to the list of foreign agents by the Ministry of Justice), Abolins stated.
The decision takes effect on the night of 8 December, and from that date the channel must stop broadcasting in Latvia. Since Dozhd distributes content not only on television but also on YouTube, the Council intends to request geo-blocking of the channel on that platform so the material is unavailable in Latvia.
NSESMI’s decision can be appealed.
Press Secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, described the situation at the channel as an example of the illusion that someplace else is better and freer than Russia.
“It always seems to someone that a place is better than home, and it always seems that freedom exists somewhere else, but there is no freedom at home. This is one of the clearest examples of the fallacy of such ideas,” Peskov told reporters.
The misfortunes of “Rain”
The channel began facing trouble in early December for three reasons cited by Latvian authorities. First, the broadcaster displayed a map of the Russian Federation that included Crimea. Second, a live remark by presenter Alexei Korostelev about Dozhd helping Russian soldiers drew concern. Baltijas Balss also reported that Dozhd may lose its Latvian license due to the absence of a national language audio track.
During the broadcast of the Here and Now program on December 1, Korostelev asked for information about problems faced by Russian military personnel and suggested that many soldiers might benefit from basic amenities at the front.
Ekaterina Kotrikadze, head of Dozhd’s information service, apologized to viewers, saying the remark was erroneous and unacceptable for the channel and that her cooperation with Korostelev had ended. She stated that viewers could have believed the channel was sending equipment to the Russian army, which Dozhd denies, emphasizing that the channel did not and would not participate in such actions.
Editor-in-chief Tikhon Dzyadko, known in Russia as a foreign agent, apologized for the presenter’s false statement, noting on his Telegram channel that editors cut out a portion of the replays and broadcasts containing Korostelev’s explanation.
“I made accusations, I did not seek murder”
Korostelev argued that his words were misunderstood and taken out of context. He said he made an error on air and was ready to be held accountable to fix the channel’s problems, but he did not call for murder or for funding any army for war. He asserted that he does not support violence or crimes against humanity and that his remarks were misinterpreted.
Korostelev stressed that his comments involved addressing issues faced by Russian soldiers in the field, not soliciting money for weapons or equipment. He expressed regret for the mistake and thanked Dozhd’s leadership for their eight years of work. Support from colleagues followed, and afterKorostelev’s dismissal, hosts Margarita Lyutova and Vladimir Romaniansky announced their resignations. Lyutova posted on social media that people have a right to make mistakes and to express themselves publicly before facing firing, and she criticized the decision as a significant error, mentioning that it affected viewers in multiple regions.
Romaniansky explained on his Telegram channel that he bore responsibility for the issue related to Korostelev, describing the situation as a misstep caused by editorial control. He criticized the decision as a betrayal and suggested that colleagues were left to deal with the fallout alone.
“Rain” losses
Natalya Sindeyeva, the channel’s general director, said in an interview with Meduza that Latvia’s license cancellation strips Dozhd of all cable broadcasting, not just Latvian outlets, which could reduce revenue by roughly a fifth. Sindeyeva noted that the channel did not pursue negotiations with Latvian authorities, confident that licenses would remain intact. She described Korostelev’s dismissal as a reactionary move driven by emotion and observed that the situation had alienated many audiences, Ukrainians and Latvians alike. The company is exploring options to relocate staff, signaling ongoing discussions about the channel’s future operations.
Where now
On December 4, RT reported, citing sources close to Natalya Sindeyeva, that Dozhd may relocate to Georgia. The outlet claimed that lawyers are evaluating options and that Dozhd already has a studio and a ready technical base in Tbilisi. Sindeyeva told RBC on December 6 that the channel plans to obtain a new license in another country.