Moscow has vowed to retaliate against French media in Russia after RT France's bank accounts were blocked in the EU country.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that France would "remember" these measures unless the authorities do not stop "terrorizing" Russian journalists.
The news about the frozen bank accounts of the RT France broadcaster's desk was announced by Ksenia Fedorova, the broadcaster's editor-in-chief. Fedorova explained that when they approached the bank for clarification, it referred them to the authorities' order. Despite the fact that RT France does not appear on the sanctions list and has the right to work in France, such a decision actually paralyzes the work of the media, she added.
In early December 2022, the French Council of State ordered the media regulator Arcom to reconsider its decision to continue broadcasting Russian TV channels Rossiya 1, NTV, and Channel One in Russia and Ukraine by the French satellite operator Eutelsat at the request of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
In March 2022, the European Union banned the broadcasting of any content from RT and Sputnik channels in retaliation for the special military operation launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Relations between Russian media and the West have become increasingly difficult in recent years. In November 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution stating the need to counter Russian media, with Sputnik and RT cited as the main threats in the document.