Russia has imposed sanctions on 81 European media outlets in a retaliatory move announced on Tuesday, restricting their access within the country. This action follows the EU’s recent bans on Russian state media, including RIA, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and Izvestia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on its website that these “mirror measures” were necessary in response to the EU’s restrictions. The ministry emphasized that if the EU lifts its sanctions on Russian media, Moscow would reciprocate.
The sanctioned outlets include prominent media organizations such as Der Spiegel, Agence France-Presse, Spain’s El Mundo, France’s Le Monde, Agence Europe, and Politico Europe. This development follows the EU Council’s decision on Monday to ban Russian media from operating within the European Union.