Russian Website Explains Decision To Publish ‘Secret’ Video Of Putin

(RIA Novosti, Moscow, April 17, 2013) The LifeNews (Internet) publication has admitted that it broke some rules when it published President Vladimir Putin’s remarks made at a closed meeting in Kalmykia. However, it thinks that the decision was right and says that the (possible) exclusion of its journalists from the Kremlin pool will not be a problem for the publication.

Two hours prior to Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev’s report to the State Duma on the work of the government, LifeNews published a video accompanied by text about Putin severely criticizing the work of the cabinet of ministers and regional authorities and not ruling out the government’s resignation. The Kremlin has already said that the president’s harsh remarks were part of his conversation with regional leaders about dilapidated housing and were not addressed to the cabinet of ministers as alleged by the media. The published video, filmed after journalists had been asked to turn off their cameras, may also become a reason for the Kremlin to reconsider its relations with the (LifeNews) publication.

“We are well aware of the risks we are undertaking. We understand that we can be sued, even the presidential administration could sue. And I understand that we do not want to lose in court… (ellipsis as published) I understand that, let me put it this way, we broke some rules, but we were facing a choice: when the editorial office saw the video, we were facing a choice of whether to post it or not, because there are rules of the game when you are admitted to the pool. You are told what you can post and what cannot be posted. The meeting was closed, we filmed it secretly, we did not turn off the camera, and decided to post it,” Ashot Gabrelyanov, the executive director of the News Media (holding) and the editor in chief of the LifeNews television channel, told RIA Novosti.

He thinks that the decision to publish was right. According to him, he understood that, following the publication, LifeNews journalists could be excluded from the Kremlin pool.

“(It is possible) that we will be excluded, because we violated something. But what else can one do? There is indeed public reaction, we have drawn attention, this is our job… (ellipsis as published) This (exclusion from the pool) will not be a problem for us,” Gabrelyanov said.