Officials from the liberal opposition party Yabloko and Ksenia Sobchak’s presidential campaign have filed complaints with Russia’s Federal Election Commission, arguing that the network TV station Pervyi Kanal is violating campaign laws by rebroadcasting Oliver Stone’s four-part series “The Putin Interviews.”
The network started showing the miniseries on February 12, five days before Russian election laws permit campaigning in the mass media. Yabloko and Sobchak also point out that the broadcast isn’t being funded by Vladimir Putin’s campaign, even though it promotes his candidacy, they argue.
Election officials say they will review any complaints “in accordance with standard procedures.”
“The Putin Interviews” first aired on Russian network television in June 2017, reportedly becoming the most-watched television program of the year. Pervyi Kanal has refused to comment on the allegations by Yabloko and Sobchak.