In Ukraine, oligarchs use media as tools for influence, a long-time tradition that has thrived for decades.
Their purposes vary, but not much. At times, it’s to advocate for policies favourable to them. The Ukraina television channel, owned by oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, has previously promoted a controversial energy tariff that was profitable for his company. The pricing scheme is now at the centre of a criminal case brought by anti-corruption investigators.
Sometimes, it’s to protect their businesses: take oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, whose 1+1 TV channel defended his influence on Ukrnafta, an oil and natural gas company co-owned by him and the Ukrainian state.
