Sputnik Radio's partner Reston Translator, a company that rebroadcasts radio programs has been registered under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), according to the website of the US Justice Department. The registration document for Reston Translator is dated November 15.
Sputnik, which works with numerous companies around the world, is not registered under FARA and has not received such requests from US authorities.
Russian upper house lawmaker Oleg Morozov, who is a member of the Federation Council's commission on state sovereignty protection, told Sputnik on Friday that Russia will respond in kind to the recognition of Reston Translator as a foreign agent.
"Many American media operate in Russia through affiliated structures, and if US media that are subject to the sanctions have partner structures, we will also involve them in our sanctions," Morozov said, adding that the Russian response would be mirror-like.
RT's Registration Under FARA
The announcement comes just days after RT America has been forced to register as a foreign agent in the US after the Justice Department's demand that had been described by Moscow as an "unfriendly step."
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the restrictions are an "attack on freedom of speech," while Moscow "will have to formulate some kind of response and it will mirror."
READ MORE: Press Freedom Watchdogs Silent on RT Registration as Foreign Agent in US
Earlier this week, the lower house of the Russian parliament passed amendments to a law that allows classifying media outlets with foreign funding as foreign agents. In order to come into force the bill, that implies that they will have to publish a notice that their materials are provided by a foreign agent, report on their activities, submit information about the composition of their management and provide expense reports, has to be brought to Russia's upper house of parliament for approval and then be signed by the president.
READ MORE: Editor-in-Chief Reveals 3 Scenarios as Result of RT Registration Under FARA
Commenting on Russia's response measures, the Kremlin spokesman has stated that any violations against Russian journalists "shall not remain unanswered."
