Russian TV channel Dozhd allows spreading anti-Azerbaijani lies on air
Сontent that violates the standards of quality reporting

ANALYTICS  20 September 2023 - 16:25

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Brenda Schaffer, a lecturer at the US Naval Postgraduate School and foreign policy expert, commented on the inconsistent stance of US media and think tanks towards various geopolitical conflicts in the post-Soviet space.

"When Ukraine fights for the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory, the media reaction is: ‘Slava Ukraini!’

In a similar conflict in Georgia: ‘Go Georgia!’

However, when it comes to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, where Azerbaijan seeks to ensure the withdrawal of 10,000 Armenian troops from its territory, the reaction is less favourable: ‘We need to stop Azerbaijan,’" Schaffer writes.

And it's true.

An example of how one can hit the bottom from the moral point of view by pursuing a policy of information manipulation was once again demonstrated by the Russian TV channel Dozhd. Let me remind you that Dozhd had a Russian television licence from 2010 to 2022, a Latvian licence from July to December 2022, and a Dutch licence from December 2022, and broadcasts in cable networks.

The day before, the Dozhd TV channel made a provocation that smells like Armenian brandy from a mile away. From the very first words the TV presenter allowed himself to lie, calling a certain Nina Avdalyan "a resident of Stepanakert". It is hardly worth reminding that there is not and cannot be such a name for an Azerbaijani city. There is Khankendi - a city in the Garabagh economic region of our country. It turns out that Dozhd does not realise an obvious fact, recognised even by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Maybe the liberal Dozhd feel nostalgic for the Dashnal-Bolshevik Stepan Shaumyan?

Let's go further. Nina Avdalyan, of course, did not say anything about the fact that Azerbaijani civilians and servicemen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were blown up on mines planted by Armenian saboteurs in Khojavand on September 19. The mines were laid quite recently, after the 44-day war. In total, more than 300 Azerbaijanis have become victims of mine terror organised by Armenians in less than three years. But, of course, Nina Avdalyan did not say anything about it. She did not say that Azerbaijan has repeatedly called on official Yerevan to influence the Garabagh junta and disarm the illegal Armenian armed formations numbering 10,000 people.

There is footage of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry capturing the destruction of a Tor SAM of the Armenian armed forces near the Khankendi-Khojaly road. I emphasise in particular that this was a SAM of Armenia's troops although Prime Minister Pashinyan has falsely declared that official Yerevan is ready for peace. Azerbaijani Army destroyed a lot of military equipment of the Armenian armed forces in Garabagh in just one day of local anti-terrorist activities. What was all this military equipment doing on the territory of the Garabagh economic region of Azerbaijan?

Naturally, Nina Avdalyan did not want to talk about this topic. It happened also because she was not asked relevant questions by the journalist of Dozhd. Avdalyan tried to deny the obvious fact that the Azerbaijani side carries out precise strikes exclusively on the military facilities of the separatists. This is an example of competently prepared anti-terrorist operations, which will also serve for the benefit of that part of the Armenian population of the Garabagh economic region of Azerbaijan, which agrees to accept Azerbaijani citizenship and live in accordance with Azerbaijani laws. Those who do not agree will be given the opportunity to move to Armenia.

This is the truth. Neither Dozhd TV channel nor Nina Avdalyan, who was put on air to voice false anti-Azerbaijani theses, told about it. It was especially amusing to hear Nina's nonsense that "Azerbaijan has been starving us for 9 months". Mankind does not have the resources to live not only for 9 months but even one month in hunger! Moreover, it was Armenian separatists who prevented Azerbaijani food shipments from entering Khankendi for more than three weeks.

But Nina Avdalyan and the Dozhd TV channel skipped this truth. Everything is more than clear with the Khankendi resident while the position of the TV channel is simply immoral. Moreover, it is a kind of tradition. We remember the newscast with Ekaterina Kotrikadze, when they interviewed Ruben Vardanyan, and a tearful report "In Mountain Solitude. How Garabagh is Disappearing".

Yes, Dozhd has previously indulged itself in open propaganda of Armenian revanchism and insulting attacks on Azerbaijan. Now we see a new series of lies and manipulations against our country. And this is not even inconsistency in the assessment of events, which Brenda Shaffer wrote about. It's just nonsense, amoralism, and immorality which have long ago and definitively become the trademark of Dozhd.

Caliber.Az