The European Union has extended the restrictive measures on Russia for an additional six months, until 31 January 2026, due to the Moscow's ongoing actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.
In retaliation, Russia has imposed restrictions within its territory on access to the websites of 15 European media outlets.
These economic measures, initially introduced in 2014, have been significantly expanded since February 2022 in response to "Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal military aggression against Ukraine," - EU statement read.
They currently consist of a broad spectrum of sectoral measures, including restrictions on trade, finance, energy, technology and dual-use goods, industry, transport and luxury goods. They also cover: a ban on the import or transfer of seaborne crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU, a de-SWIFTing of several Russian banks and the suspension of the broadcasting activities and licenses in the European Union of several Kremlin-backed disinformation outlets. Additionally, specific measures enable the EU to counter sanctions circumvention.
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Russia had decided to impose countermeasures by restricting access within its territory to the websites of fifteen media outlets from EU member states, accusing them of spreading "false" information.
The statement said the measures were taken in response to restrictions imposed by the 27-member bloc within the framework of its 16th sanctions package approved in February against eight Russian media outlets, namely Eurasia Daily, Fondsk, Lenta, NewsFront, RuBaltic, SouthFront, Strategic Culture Foundation, and Krasnaya Zvezda..
“Responsibility for such developments lies entirely with the European Union and the bloc's member states that supported the unlawful decisions. The Russian side will reconsider its latest decision regarding European media outlets if restrictions on domestic publications and information channels are lifted,” - the Russian statement said.
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