Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. AFP
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chair of the Russian Federation’s Security Council, advised Russians on Sunday, March 26 to download pirated movies in order to force the US streaming service firm Netflix to “go bankrupt.”
“You know what? Look for the right pirates and download from them. If they’re gone, all those Netflixes and others, then we’ll download it all, we’ll use it for free. And I would scatter it all over the network in order to cause them maximum damage. Maximum damage to make them go bankrupt!” Medvedev said in an interview with Russia’s state-affiliated agency VKontakte, TASS and others.
Last year, a slew of famous Hollywood and Silicon Valley companies dropped their support for streaming or broadcasting Russian state content.
Concerns have been raised by US firms regarding the “proliferation of Russian propaganda” and “disinformation” relating to military activities in neighbouring Ukraine. Apple, Netflix, TikTok, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and dozens of other companies have either distanced themselves or been barred from doing business in Russia.
According to the Moscow Times, Netflix entered Russia in December and was requested to comply with a regulation requiring the streaming service to transmit Russian state television stations–Channel One–as well as Russian Orthodox Church channels in Russia.
The former Russian President emphasised that Russian residents had the freedom to download and distribute illegal versions of Netflix films over the internet. He was alluding to movies that have been unavailable in Russia due to Western rights holders’ refusal to broadcast them.
Medvedev slammed the unexpected removal of movies and music, particularly certain Western music, from Russian internet sites in reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Medvedev has previously stated that Russia could not lose the continuing battle because it would “vanish” and be ripped to bits. “If Russia abandons the special military operation without securing victory, Russia would vanish and be shattered.”
“The conflict will cease if the US stops supplying weapons to the Kyiv dictatorship,” he added in a Telegram post.
With inputs from agencies
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