Euronews ends Ukrainian-language broadcasts

KIEV: The Ukrainian-language service of European television channel Euronews said it was to close down on Sunday because of financial difficulties.

"After nearly six years of work, Euronews will cease broadcasting in Ukrainian on Sunday, May 21," it said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

The move comes two years after the Ukrainian government stopped financing the service.

The state-run National Television Company of Ukraine (NTKU) reportedly owed the channel some 10 million euros throughout its six years on air.

On its first day of broadcasting in 2011, Euronews’ Ukrainian service was accused of having a pro-government bias after downplaying the size of an opposition rally against then president Viktor Yanukovych.

Euronews broadcasts in Ukrainian began as the result of a 2009 agreement between the NTKU and the European channel headquartered in the French city of Lyon.

Euronews was founded in 1993 as an alliance of some 20 public broadcasters.

In 2015, the outlet sold a controlling stake to Egyptian telecom and media magnate Naguib Sawiris.