MOSCOW: Moscow will retaliate towards French media in Russia after the financial institution accounts of RT France, the French arm of its state broadcaster, had been frozen, Russian information companies reported Saturday.
“The blocking of RT France accounts will result in retaliatory measures towards the French media in Russia,” the TASS and RIA Novosti information companies quoted an nameless overseas ministry supply as saying. The measures “can be remembered”, the supply stated, accusing Paris of “terrorising Russian journalists.”
On Friday, the unions of RT France — already banned from broadcasting — stated their accounts had been frozen within the nation.
The French finance ministry advised AFP that the belongings of the chain had been frozen in compliance with the latest EU sanctions, and never on Paris’s initiative. In contrast to the preliminary sanctions determined after Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, contemporary EU measures adopted in December offered for an “asset freeze” of focused entities, the identical ministry supply stated.
Amongst these entities is “ANO TV Novosti, a mum or dad firm holding one hundred pc of RT France”, the supply stated, explaining the choice.
RT was blocked in most Western international locations after the Kremlin despatched troops to Ukraine in February final 12 months.