Kremlin bans US broadcasting group Radio Free Europe's activities in Russia. The employees are threatened with legal prosecution.
Since the start of the Ukraine offensive two years ago, the Kremlin has increasingly taken action against critical voices. A law on “undesirable organizations” passed in 2015 allows the Kremlin to sanction NGOs and other organizations that receive funding from foreign sources. It also exposes journalists and others who work with the organization, as well as its donors, to criminal charges. The label has been applied to dozens of foreign groups since Moscow began using the classification.