America’s Newsmax TV channel takes Ukraine by storm

 ODESA, Ukraine -- The announcement regarding the 24-hour Newsmax news channel—a broadcaster listed on the New York Stock Exchange and owned by Chris Ruddy, a close friend and ally of U.S. President Donald Trump—was celebrated by the powers that be in Ukraine. A news conference took place in Kyiv shortly after the Feb. 24 commemoration of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

 The event was headlined by Ukraine's President, his newly appointed chief of staff and military leader Kyrylo Budanov, as well as former Ukrainian president and energy entrepreneur Yulia Tymushenko. The ultra VVIP welcome of Ruddy via video link to Ukraine as the second coming of CNN founder Ted Turner, is neither by chance nor accident. Ruddy had visited Ukraine in person in May 2022 soon after the Russian invasion, earning respect of Ukrainian officials.

 Unlike the anti-Ukraine lobby led by US Vice President JD Vance and former Fox journalist Tucker Carlson, Ruddy and his Newsmax channel have always supported Ukraine, something especially important for Ukrainian President Zelensky who knows firsthand that Trump is a news media addict. 

 In fact,  it can be argued that Trump consistently trusts journalists over his closest advisers and cabinet secretaries. Had Ruddy attended the news conference in person instead of via video link, President Zelensky likely would have shared the stage with him.

 Ruddy is using many of the strategies Ted Turner employed during CNN's expansion by securing licensing deals in international markets.

 Today, a good part of CNN’s annual operating profit of circa dlrs 600 mln derives from foreign operations and not the domestic CNN with its dismal viewership ratings of 1 mln compared to nearly 4 mln for Fox News. 

 While Newsmax Ukraine will begin with a digital broadcast license, CNN and its Time Warner parent were able to take over a lucrative free to air broadcast channel in Poland and Turkish joint venture, CNN Turk.

 Newsmax Ukraine, according to public records and specialized local media website Detector Media, is 85 percent owned by Latvian national Romans Varlamovs through his Polish LLC Varzar and 15 percent by local Ukraine social media presenter Lyudmila Nemyria.

 While Varlamovs seems to be virtually unknown in Latvia, Poland and Ukraine, Detector Media reported that Varlamovs had been partners in previous companies with Yuri Piskov, a Latvian citizen who had business interest with Ukraine’s controversial gas giant, Naftogaz.

 Newsmax, led by Ruddy and connected to President Trump, is positioned to help direct billions in US-backed funds to Ukraine via major corporations, with oversight from Ben Black of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

 The Washington DC bureau chief at Newsmax is Adele Malpass, a former CNBC reporter and wife of David Malpass, who served as President of the World Bank. Appointed by Trump during his first term, David Malpass, who speaks fluent Russian, was instrumental in supporting Ukraine’s economy after the Russian invasion four years ago.

 The DFC is already investing billions into Ukraine by investing in Ukrainian agriculture concerns such as the London listed MHP poultry concerns, providing war risk and political insurance to Ukraine energy concerns and are planning to co-investment with Italy’s Casse Depositi e Prestiti (CDP)for Fincantieri’s announced plans to build next generation civilian ships in the strategic port city of Odesa.

 Already the United States agriculture giants Cargill and Archer Daniel Midland operate grain ports in the Odesa region, the Cargill operating its Neptune deep sea grain terminal just east of Odesa and ADM in the soon to be privatized port of Chornomorsk just west of the city.

Capitol Intelligence/CI Ukraine

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