For two weeks now, as several Russian television channels such as Channel One, VGTRK (All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company) and NTV have been knocked off air in Tajikistan.
Experts attribute this to transfer of those TV channels from satellites of multinational satellite services provider IntelSat to the Russian new satellite Ekspress-80 (Express-80).
Other Russian television channels are available in the country.
The problem has also affected Internet television (IP television) and the Internet TV providers have also been retuning the frequency to the new satellite
Ekspress-80 is a Russian communications satellite, which was launched in 2020. Part of the Ekspress series of geostationary communications satellites, it is owned and operated by the RSCC Space Communications. The satellite is designed to provide TV and radio broadcasting services, data transmission, multimedia services, telephony, and mobile communications. Ekspress-80 was originally to be launched in 2018, but was delayed to 2020.
Meanwhile, several major Russian television channels have been cut off in other Central Asia’s nations as well after international satellite providers cut signals to abide by international sanctions imposed on the Russia Federation over its ongoing so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Radio Liberty reported on May 30 that Turkmenistan's largest communications operator, Ashgabat City Telephone Network (ASTU), said over the weekend that it was working to organize a backup broadcast to restore two Russian television channels — Zvezda, the television channel of Russia's Defense Ministry, and Rossiya-1.
In Kyrgyzstan, local TV provider Aknet reportedly said Russian television channels Zvezda, Russiya-24, and Rossiya Kultura (Russia Culture) had been unavailable since May 27 due to a "move by several countries to restrict the distribution of all-Russian TV channels," adding that it was working on organizing backup broadcasting for the channels.
Several countries have announced sanctions against VGTRK, saying the media holding company has played a major role in justifying Russia's war against Ukraine.
