Russia threatens retaliation over blocking of state media Telegram channels across EU News
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Russia threatens retaliation over blocking of state media Telegram channels across EU

Russia Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova threatened Sunday to implement retaliatory measures against European media outlets after Russian state media Telegram channels became inaccessible across the EU.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that users attempting to access the Telegram channels of Russian state broadcasters, including RIA Novosti, Izvestia and RT, are being notified of limited access in the EU. Russia characterized the blockage as “political censorship” in violation of international obligations on free information access. Moscow warned that “specialized international organizations should duly evaluate these actions” and demanded a response from UN human rights mechanisms and UNESCO leadership.

The platform’s restrictions are particularly significant given Telegram’s growing influence in Russia’s media landscape. A Mediascope study reported by Re:Russia showed that the messaging platform has emerged as a key news source, particularly for younger Russians. Nearly one-fifth of its channels focus on the Ukraine war, reflecting its central role in how Russians receive information about the conflict. This prominence increased notably following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the mobilization announcement in September 2022, especially among users aged 18-24.

This latest dispute over media access follows a pattern of escalating restrictions between Russia and the EU since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The war prompted the EU to impose massive and unprecedented sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on state media outlets accused of spreading propaganda. In June 2024, Russia blocked access to 81 European media websites from 25 European countries, affecting outlets like France’s Agence France-Presse (AFP), Le Monde, and Liberation. This action came after the EU banned four Russian state media outlets in May 2024. The EU accused the outlets Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta of disseminating propaganda about the war in Ukraine.

The cross-border media restrictions occur against a backdrop of intensifying domestic censorship in Russia. According to Human Rights Watch’s 2024 World Report, Russian authorities have arbitrarily blocked thousands of websites without court orders, particularly those criticizing the war in Ukraine. Adding to this restrictive framework, a new law enacted in September 2024 requires internet providers to install technology allowing state filtering of internet traffic.

Currently, prominent European outlets including Germany’s Der Spiegel, Spain’s El Pais and El Mundo, Finland’s Yle, Ireland’s RTE, and Italy’s RAI television remain inaccessible in Russia.

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