(Moscow) Russia announced on Tuesday that it was blocking access to the broadcasting of 81 European media outlets on its territory, including the AFP website, in “retaliation” for the EU’s decision in May to ban four media outlets. Russian state.
“Countermeasures are being introduced on access from Russian territory to media broadcasting facilities of EU member countries,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, blaming the restrictions on Brussels.
The list published by the Russian ministry on Tuesday also includes the German media Der Spiegel, the Spanish El Mundo and El Pais, the Italian television RAI, and other French media such as the daily newspapers Le Monde, Libération and the LCI and CNews channels.
The Twenty-Seven agreed in mid-May to sanction four Russian media – Voice of Europe, Ria Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiïskaïa Gazeta – accused by Brussels of disseminating pro-Kremlin propaganda.
The sanctions taken by the EU must also include a “ban on Russian financing of media, NGOs and EU political parties,” said the European Commissioner for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova.
Moscow subsequently threatened reprisals against the European Union, with which relations are poor in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, then promised “very painful” measures.
The European Union, for its part, has for more than two years banned the distribution in Europe of several Russian or pro-Russian media, including Russia Today, accusing Moscow of using these media to “spread its propaganda and conduct disinformation campaigns.”