Russia
has accused US intelligence of trying to recruit Russian journalists
working in the country, after Washington and Moscow, in retaliation,
designated each other's media outlets as "foreign agents"
and condemned the move as “aggression.”
"Recently
Russian journalists, including those in the United States, have come
under great pressure from the special services, notably through
attempts at recruitment," Russian Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday. "This is an
aggression. An aggression in terms of intelligence not only towards
Russia, but also an encroachment on freedom of expression throughout
the world," Zakharova added.
This
came the same day Russian lawmakers voted to ban the US media
designated as "foreign agents" from accessing the lower
house of parliament, the State Duma, in retaliation for a US congress
decision to withdraw the credentials of RT, Russian international
television network, late last month.
The
Russian Justice Ministry formally on Tuesday listed the US
government-sponsored Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) as well as seven separate Russian- or
local-language news outlets run by RFE/RL as “foreign agents.”
Russian
President Vladimir Putin on November 25 signed a bill into law that
allowed authorities to register foreign media outlets as “foreign
agents.” The law had earlier passed both houses of the parliament.
The move against American media is part of Moscow’s “mirror”
response to a US congressional committee move against RT broadcaster.
Washington
has accused Moscow of using Russian media organizations to influence
the US presidential election last year. Russia has denied the
allegation.
Those
listed as "foreign agents" have to present themselves as
such on any information they publish or broadcast and subject to
intensive scrutiny of their staffing and financing.
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