KIEV, September 10 (RAPSI) – Ukraine's media regulator on Wednesday came out with a list of 15 banned Russian TV channels.

The list includes Channel One. Global Network, RTR Planeta, NTV Mir, Russia 24, TVCI, Rossiya 1, NTV, TNT, St. Petersburg Channel 5, Zvezda, Ren TV, RBC TV, Life News, RT and History Channel.

In July, a Ukrainian court banned Russian Channel One. Global Network, RTR Planeta, Russia 24, NTV Mir and TV Center International (TVCI) at the request of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting. Initially, the list was to include 14 Russian TV channels.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry defined suspension of the channels as infringement on the freedom of the media. Channel One Director General Konstantin Ernst called on the Ukrainian authorities to revoke the decision that is “in conflict with the rules of international law and subscribers’ interests.”

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic expressed concern over the Ukrainian council’s request that the national operators stop broadcasting Russian television channels. She said: “Banning programming without a legal basis is a form of censorship; national security concerns should not be used at the expense of media freedom.”