Russian national TV ignored a domestic attack on pedestrians this Saturday claimed by ISIS

Terrorist violence in Catalonia dominated news headlines around the world this weekend, but another attack on Saturday, August 19, occurred in the Russian city of Surgut, where a man non-fatally stabbed seven pedestrians before being shot and killed by police. The “Islamic State” later claimed responsibility for the incident, though Russian law enforcement are not investigating the stabbings as an act of terrorism. Surprisingly, Russian national news networks nearly ignored the attack in Surgut. Meduza reviews what Russian television decided to report, instead.

Pervyi Kanal (Channel One), “Time”

Terrorist attacks in Catalonia. Far-right nationalists in the United States. U.S. military training exercises simulating combat in Russian-speaking settlements. The threat of war between the U.S. and North Korea. The possible delivery of rockets from Ukraine to North Korea. German opposition to U.S. sanctions against Russia. How terrorists use vehicles in attacks. The signing of Russia’s new “Digital Economy” program. Back-to-school preparations. Filmmaker Andrey Konchalovsky’s birthday. A fireworks festival planned in Moscow.

Pervyi Kanal aired 30-second segments about the Surgut attack just three times on August 19, at noon, 3:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. During the network’s main news broadcast at 9 p.m., there wasn’t a word about the knife attack.

Rossiya 1 (Russia 1), “Events at 8 p.m., Weekly Roundup”

Terrorist attacks in Catalonia. Terrorism and migration. African migrants trying to reach Europe. A new school opening in Sevastopol, where President Vladimir Putin is visiting. Far-right nationalists in the United States. A “Ukrainian saboteur” detained in Crimea. Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. The possible delivery of rockets from Ukraine to North Korea. Elections in Germany. The exclusion of Russia from a commemoration project for the victims of the Nazi extermination camp in Sobibór. The 50th anniversary of Russia’s Golden ring tourist route.

Rossiya 1 mentioned the knife attack in Surgut only once, during a daytime report on August 19 at 2 p.m. The report lasted 16 seconds. During the evening broadcast of “Vesti” and throughout the day on Sunday, August 20, the station said nothing about the attack.

NTV

The network’s Sunday news show, “Weekly Roundup,” has been on hiatus since early July. The channel’s regular news program, “Today,” mentioned the Surgut attack just once on August 19 at 4 p.m. The report lasted a single minute.

Russian text by Mikhail Zelensky, translation by Kevin Rothrock