Russian Communist Party Wants To Ban ‘Chernobyl’ And Sue HBO

HBO’s miniseries “Chernobyl” has become a hit with critics and viewers alike, but one party is not happy with it: the Communists of Russia political.

Deadline reports that the Marxist-Leninist communist party is asking Russia’s television regulator, the Roskomnadzor, to ban the historical miniseries in Russia. They have also called for a libel suit to be brought against the production for turning the “tragedy into an object of ideological manipulation” therefore “demonizing the Soviet regime and Soviet people.” The party has, however, accepted the series’ chronology of events as mostly historically accurate.

The Roskomnadzor responded to an inquiry about the issue stating that they had not received such a request, but that one would be considered if submitted.

“Chernobyl” is a five-episode miniseries that premiered on HBO on May 6 and tells the dramatized true story of the 1986 nuclear accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near the city of Pripyat in Ukraine. The series was created and written by Craig Mazin, with all episodes directed by Johan Renck. It stars Jared Harris, Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard, Jessie Buckley, and Barry Keoghan.

Since its premiere, “Chernobyl” has received rapturous praise for its bleak accuracy and powerful condemnation of state censorship and deception. It currently boasts a 96 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 9.6 out of 10 user rating on IMDb, the highest in the site’s history for a television program.

“Chernobyl” is available to stream on HBO Go and HBO Now.