Russia Blocks News Broadcast Access Dozens Of EU Media

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JAKARTA - Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had prohibited access to broadcasts of dozens of EU media in retaliation for similar bans by the European Union against some Russian media.

The European Union previously suspended distributions which it called four "magnatory networks related to the Kremlin," thus revoking their broadcasting rights in May.

At that time, the ban was in place for Voice of Europe, the RIA news agency, and the Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspapers.

Russia's Foreign Ministry retaliated by releasing a list of 81 outlets/media broadcast channels from 25 EU member countries, as well as pan-European outlets, whose broadcasts are said to be no longer available in Russian territory.

They accused the media of systematically spreading inaccurate information about what Russia called a special military operation in Ukraine.

French news agency Agence France-Presse, an ORF state TV company in Austria, an RTE broadcaster in Ireland, and an EFE news agency in Spain were among the media affected by Russia's actions along with many national broadcasters, newspapers, and Politico.

Russia's federation has repeatedly warned at various levels that political-motivated harassment against domestic journalists and unjustified bans against Russian media in the EU will not be left alone, "the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement reported by Reuters, Tuesday, June 25.

Meskipun demikian, Brussels dan ibu kota negara-negara anggota blok tersebut lebih memilih untuk mengikuti jalur eskalasi, memaksa Moskow untuk mengambil tindakan retaliban yang proportional.

His party will review the ban if the European Union lifts its restrictions on RIA, Izvestia and the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, all of which are described as Russian media.

Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the lower house of the State Duma parliament, said in May the EU's move had shown the West refused to accept any alternative point of view and destroyed freedom of expression.