Ukrinform  The National News Agency of Ukraine () or Ukrinform () is a state information and news agency of Ukraine. It was founded in 1918 during the Ukrainian War of Independence as the Bureau of Ukrainian Press (BUP). The first director of the agency was Dmytro Dontsov. The state agency was established as the Bureau of Ukrainian Press (BUP) in 1918, yet since then it went through series of reorganizations. During the Soviet period, it was associated with Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS). Ukrinform main objectives are: the coverage of public policy and public life in Ukraine and providing information to government bodies; according to a Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine from February 19, 1997 the agency carries out its activities independently of political parties and public organizations. Per day Ukrinform issues some 500 reports in English, German, Russian and Ukrainian and around 200 photos and audio digest. Ukrinform delivers information to the media, TV channels, radio stations, official establishments and local governments, foreign embassies and Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad and foreign media. UA | TV is a 24/7 international channel with worldwide range, the latest news from Ukraine is broadcast in four languages (English, Russian, Tatar and Arabic). The channel is transmitted live on its website and on television. The channel will cease operations in the current format on January 12, 2020. Going forward, the channel will be rebranded with only Russian and Ukrainian language news and programming and will be directed to the people living in the occupied parts of Donbas. All international broadcasts ceased at midnight on January 12, 2020. The new channel began broadcasts on February 15, 2020.