On June 25, 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would block the websites of 81 European media websites / outlets from 25 European countries. This move is in retaliation for the European Council’s decision on May 17 to block access within the EU to four websites accused of spreading Russian pro-war propaganda.
The blocked sites include RIA Novosti, Rossiyskaya Gazeta (both state-owned), Izvestiya (state-controlled), and Voice of Europe, which the Czech government accused of being run by a Ukrainian pro-Russian oligarch. Russia’s MFA denounced the EU’s actions as “politically motivated” and stated it was “taking mirror and proportionate countermeasures.”
Russia Blocks Access to 81 European Media Websites / Outlets
- Citing the spread of “false information” about the war in Ukraine (which they refer to as a “special military operation”), Russia’s Foreign Ministry has blocked access to websites of 81 European media Websites /outlets.
- The ban includes prominent publications across Europe, encompassing newspapers, magazines, television channels, radio stations, and news agencies.
- Well-known names like Germany’s Die Zeit and Der Spiegel, Italy’s La Stampa and La Repubblica, France’s Le Monde and Libération, and many more are now inaccessible in Russia.
List of 81 European Media Outlets of EU member states
List of 81 European Media Websites / outlets of EU member states and all-European media operators in respect of which countermeasures are being introduced to restrict broadcasting and access to resources on the Internet from the territory of the Russian Federation
Austria
1. State television and radio company “ORF” (orf.at);
2. Media holding “Osterreich” (oe24.at);
Belgium
3. Magazine “Le Vif” (levif.be);
4. Magazine “Knack” (knack.be);
Bulgaria
5. News information portal “Mediapool” (Mediapool.bg);
6. Newspaper “24 Hours” (24chasa.bg);
Hungary
7. Internet information portal 444.hu;
Germany
8. Magazine “Der Spiegel” (spiegel.de);
9. Newspaper “Die Zeit” (zeit.de);
10. Newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (faz.net);
Greece
11. JSC “Greek Radio and Television” EPT (ert.gr, ertnews.gr);
12. Media holding “Skai” (skai.gr);
13. TV channel “Mega” (Megatv.com);
14. Newspaper “Proto Thema” (protothema.gr);
Denmark
15. Daily newspaper “Berlingske” (berlingske.dk);
16. Publication “Information” (information.dk);
Ireland
17. National Broadcasting Company “RTE” (rte.ie);
18. The Irish Times newspaper (irishtimes.com);
19. The Irish Independent newspaper (independent.ie);
Spain
20. Newspaper “El Mundo” (elmundo.es);
21. Newspaper “El Pais” (elpais.com);
22. Information agency “EFE” (efe.com);
23. Spanish State Television “Televisión Española” (rtve.es);
Italy
24. National broadcasting channel “LA7” (la7.it);
25. Newspaper “La Stampa” (lastampa.it);
26. Newspaper “La Repubblica” (repubblica.it);
27. TV company “RAI” (rai.it, rainews.it);
Cyprus
28. Newspaper “Politis” (politis.com.cy);
29. Electronic information portal “Cyprus Times” (cyprustimes.com);
30. Cyprus Mail newspaper (cyprus-mail.com);
Latvia
31. TV channel “Latvian Television” and Latvian Radio 4 (lsm.lv);
32. Internet portal apollo.lv;
33. Internet TV channel tvnet.lv;
34. Publication “Diena” (diena.lv);
Lithuania
35. Internet portal “LRT” (lrt.lt);
36. Internet portal “15min.lt” (15min.lt);
37. Internet portal “lrytas.lt” (lrytas.lt);
Malta
38. Central state television channel “Television Malta” TVM (tvmnews.mt);
39. The Times of Malta newspaper (timesofmalta.com);
40. The Malta Independent newspaper (independent.com.mt);
41. Newspaper “Malta Today” (maltatoday.com.mt);
Netherlands
42. TV and radio company “Nos” (nos.nl);
43. Newspaper “Nrc” (nrc.nl);
44. Newspaper “Algemeen Dagblad” (ad.nl);
Poland
45. TV channel “Belsat” (belsat.eu, belsat.pl);
46. Magazine “New Poland” (novayapolsha.eu, novayapolsha.com, novayapolsha.pl);
Portugal
47. TV channel “RTP Internacional” (rtp.pt);
48. Newspaper “Publico” (publico.pt);
49. Newspaper “Expresso” (expresso.pt);
50. Information and analytical project “Observador” (observador.pt);
Romania
51. TV channel “Pro TV International” (stirileprotv.ro, protv.ro);
52. TV channel “Digi24” (digi24.ro);
53. TV channel “B1TV” (b1tv.ro);
Slovakia
54. Newspaper “SME” (sme.sk);
55. Internet publication “Dennik N” (dennikn.sk);
Slovenia
56. Internet publication “Nova24” (Nova24.si, Nova24tv.si);
57. Internet publication “Demokracija” (Demokracija.si, Demokracija.eu);
Finland
58. Newspaper “Ilta-Sanomat” (is.fi);
59. Newspaper “Iltalehti” (iltalehti.fi);
60. Newspaper “Helsingin Sanomat” (hs.fi);
61. TV and radio company “Yleisradio” (yle.fi);
France
62. TV channel “LCI” (tf1info.fr);
63. Newspaper “Le Monde” (lemonde.fr);
64. La Croix newspaper (la-croix.com);
65. Newspaper “Liberation” (liberation.fr);
66. Magazine “Lexpress” (lexpress.fr);
67. Radio company “Radio France” (radiofrance.fr);
68. Information agency “Agence France-Presse” (afp.com, afpforum.com);
69. TV channel “CNews” (cnews.fr);
70. TV company “Arte” (arte.tv);
Czech
71. TV channel “Ceska Televize” (ceskatelevize.cz);
72. Internet portal “Seznam Zpravy” (seznamzpravy.cz);
Sweden
73. SVT Broadcasting Company (svt.se);
74. Radio company Sveriges Radio (sverigesradio.se);
Estonia
75. Information web portal propastop.org;
76. National Broadcasting Corporation “ERR” (err.ee);
77. Media resource “Delfi” (delfi.ee);
Pan-European media
78. Agence Europe (agenceurope.eu);
79. Politico (www.politico.eu, www.politico.com);
80. Satellite package “Svoboda Satellite Package” (rsf.org);
81. Internet publication “Euobserver” (Euobserver.com).