You're reading: Kommersant Ukraine shuts down, cites financial troubles

The Russian publisher of business daily Kommersant Ukraine has shut down the newspaper and laid off a staff of 100, citing dipping advertising revenue that started “when the situation spiked on the Maidan (after clashes started between anti-government protesters and police in January).”

“The newspaper’s main advertisers were companies in the banking and automobile sectors,” stated Kommersant Russia general director Pavel Filenkov. “From when the events (anti-government protests) in Ukraine started to unfold, the publication became not only unpromising, but also hopeless.” 

Filenkov though admitted that the Kyiv staff received a 10 percent salary hike in the beginning of February, raising questions about the Moscow-based company’s explanation and raising the question of whether censorship was a factor. 

When asked to clarify after which events did advertising revenue start to decline, Filenkov said when “they started to acuminate,” referring to clashes along Khrushevskoho Street in January. 

But a senior editor for Kommersant Ukraine who wished to remain anonymous so that the staff would receive salary payments told the Kyiv Post that the Moscow-based parent company wanted to censor a March 13 cover story. When the Kyiv staff refused to acquiesce, the newspaper was shut. 

Filenkov in Moscow confirmed that there was “debate” over the March 13 cover story, but that discussion over content between the Russian and Ukrainian staffs was always part of the “normal work process,” adding that there “was no conflict and it was not the reason for closing down the paper.” 

Kyiv-based media watchdog Telekritika provided a detailed account of the alleged editorial intrusion from Moscow, citing anonymous sources at Kommersant Ukraine. 

The Kyiv publication had prepared an article about the tense standoff in Crimea between occupying Russian forces and the besieged Ukrainian military bases. It included statements from National Security and Defense Council chief Andriy Parubiy, Ukrainian Admiral Ihor Teniukh, Russia’s Defense Ministry, Ukrainian Vice-Admiral Ihor Kabanenko and independent experts. 

According to Telekritika, Moscow ordered it to be removed and replaced by a different article authored by the Russians. The Ukrainian editorial team first layed out the Russian article, but then later decided not to run the story and publish the March 13 issue. 

Kommersant Ukraine chief editor Valeriy Kalnysh declined comment to the Kyiv Post. 

Its first issue in Ukraine was published on July 18, 2005. Its last issue on March 12 stated that its circulation was 14,020. Despite being wholly owned by a Russian entity, Kommersant Ukraine was known for fair and balanced news reporting. 

Kyiv Post editor Mark Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].