“The extension of restrictive measures to Russian media operators and individual journalists just because their coverage and interpretation of events taking place in the world is not consistent with Western patterns, once again clearly confirms the duplicity and cynicism of British politicians, for whom such a thing as freedom of the media is not more than a tool for solving market problems,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The fact that London has made the final choice in favor of an open confrontation with Russia is evidenced by the desire of the British authorities, under absurd pretexts, to “spin the sanctions flywheel” and statements by British officials “in which threats are interspersed with lies and outright rudeness” against Russia, added to MFA.
“The Russian side will continue to respond harshly and decisively to all sanctions restrictions initiated by London and take retaliatory measures,” the ministry concluded.
Earlier, the British Foreign Office announced the imposition of sanctions against RT and Sputnik, as well as other Russian media and journalists.
Russian Ambassador to London Andrei Kelin said that Moscow could impose retaliatory sanctions against one of the UK broadcasters.