Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, has been described as indifferent to the fate of the Dozhd TV channel, which remains blocked in Latvia. Latvia’s authorities moved to revoke the channel’s license, citing national security and public order concerns. Dozhd is listed as a foreign agent by Latvia’s Ministry of Justice and is recognized as a foreign media agent in Russia. This stance was conveyed by a TASS political assistant, Oleg Osipov, who offered a pointed assessment of the situation.
Osipov suggested that Medvedev’s lack of concern should be understood through a historical lens. He invoked a 18th-century line about the fruit of bad morality, attributing the outcome to a kind of moral arithmetic rather than to any direct channel action. The aim, he implied, is simply to reflect a broader political calculus rather than to intervene in the everyday operational fate of Dozhd. Source: TASS.
According to Osipov, the episode reflects a pattern where journalism is challenged by what he described as stupidity and arrogance. He claimed that foreign agents sometimes stumble at borders and lose their footing, leaving their operations temporarily destabilized. Source: TASS.
Latvian regulators, through the National Electronic Media Council, announced on December 6 that the Dozhd license would be revoked. The council framed the decision around concerns for national security and public order. Reporters Without Borders publicly supported Dozhd, but the advocacy did not alter the regulatory outcome. Source: TASS.
The channel’s troubles began in early December, driven by a trio of complaints from Latvian authorities. First, Dozhd aired a map that included Crimea as part of the Russian Federation. Second, a presenter, Alexei Korostelev, stated live that Dozhd was assisting Russian soldiers. Third, Baltijas Balss reported potential suspension of Dozhd’s broadcast due to a missing audio track in the nation’s language. These factors together prompted regulatory action. Source: TASS.
Historically, Medvedev did visit Dozhd TV in 2011 when he toured the Moscow studio during the Red October event. This past interaction stands in contrast to the current regulatory climate that has affected the channel. Source: TASS.