The Kremlin has said it is blocking 81 European publications in retaliation for an EU ban on some Russian media.
Magazines, public broadcasters and newspapers from 25 of the 27 EU member states will become inaccessible within Russia.
The Russian government said it was imposing “proportionate countermeasures” against an EU decision to block Russian channels Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta on May 17. Brussels accused the publications at the time of “spreading and supporting Russian propaganda and a war of aggression against Ukraine”.
The list of blacklisted media includes European channels such as Politico and EU Observer, Irish public broadcaster RTE, French newspaper Le Monde and German magazine Der Spiegel.
Several Italian channels, such as the public broadcaster Rai and the newspaper La Repubblica, will also see their access limited. The Italian Foreign Ministry condemned the decision, saying that “it will not erase the consequences of a violent, destructive and illegal war.”
The US said the Russian government was “afraid that their own people would hear the truth”.
European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said the ban was “senseless retaliation,” adding that “Russian-funded propaganda channels to spread disinformation as part of Russian military doctrine are not the same as independent media.”
Moscow said it would consider lifting the ban if restrictions against Russian media outlets were lifted.
State-backed news channel RT had its license revoked shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Around the same time, Russia restricted access to several Western websites, including the BBC, accusing them of spreading “false information.”
