Ukraine bans Russian, Belarussian music and books

Shafaq News/ Ukrainian lawmakers have adopted two new policies aiming to weed Russian music from Ukraine's air waves and ban distribution of Russian-made books.

Approved by the votes of 303 MPs, the law #7273-d will restrict the ‘public use of the musical product of the aggressor-state’. The curbs are poised to give a spur to Ukrainian music by getting it more airplay on radio and digital platforms.

Another policy,  known as #7459,  makes Russian books virtually verboten in Ukraine through a temporary ban on their imports from Russia, Belarus, and temporary occupied territories.

The move brings in the ‘defense mechanism against Russian propaganda’ – it was approved by the votes of 306 MPs.

Ukrainian MP and former director of National Remembrance Institute, Volodymyr Vyatrovych, hailed the new policy calling it the ‘important steps towards full decolonization of Ukraine’. The lawmaker has long been among the proponent of such restrictions as Russian books were viewed by many as a ‘Ruskyi mir’ influence tool in Ukraine.