MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in March, Ukraine’s National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting voted against the extension of Radio Vesti's broadcasting license in Kiev and Kharkiv over lack of Ukrainian language shows on the air. Media Holding Vesti Ukraine, the owner of the radio station, said that the closure was unlawful and served political interests.
"We have heard with deep regret the news from Kiev about the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting's March 3 decision not to renew Ukraine’s Radio Vesti station's broadcasting license," the ministry’s statement read.
Moscow regards the closure of the station as "a direct assault on the freedom of expression," according to the statement.
The foreign ministry expects Dunja Mijatovic, representative for media freedom at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), to assess the incident, the statement added.