New attempts by the Kremlin to intimidate the press and silence dissent are pushing independent media and social media out of the country.
Why is it important: Russians are losing access to independent reporting on the war, and the West is losing sight of an already isolated leader.
- People of Russia “They have the right to know about the death, suffering and destruction that their government is inflicting on the people of Ukraine,” a White House spokesman told Axios.
- They also have the right to “know about the loss of life in this senseless war for their soldiers.”
Lead news: Bloomberg and the BBC said they were suspending operations in Russia, while CNN, CBS and ABC stopped broadcasting in the country after lawmakers on Friday approved a new law that threatens journalists and individuals with up to 15 years in prison. if they publish what Moscow considers to be true. fake news about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwaite said in a note to staff that the change in the Penal Code “makes it impossible for any semblance of normal journalism to continue domestically.”
- BBC CEO Tim Davy said The BBC was not prepared to expose journalists “to the risk of prosecution just for doing their job”.
- At the start of the war, Russian regulators warned the media that the media could only use information from government sources to cover the invasion.
Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor also said on Friday that it had blocked the websites of several media outlets, including the US government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, for spreading so-called fake news about a “special operation in Ukraine.”
- The German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and the independent Russian media outlet Meduza, based in Latvia, were also blocked.
inside Russia, independent news agencies go off the air, forcing journalists to flee the country.
- Roskomnadzor on Tuesday restricted access to Russian independent TV channels Radio Ekho Moskvy and Dozhd TV for “deliberately” spreading false information about the invasion.
- Both publications are renowned for their high-quality reporting in Russia and abroad, the State Department said.
Russia also blocked Facebook all the way on Friday, after a partial social media shutdown last week.
- “Soon, millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information, deprived of everyday ways to connect with family and friends and silence to speak out,” said Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs. statement Friday in response to the ban.
- Tech companies are restricting access to Russian state media in response to requests from Western governments. Many firms have banned Russian state media from buying advertising around the world. Google and Apple have removed apps for RT and Sputnik from their app stores worldwide.
Big picture: Putin’s propaganda has intensified as protests erupt at home.
- The Kremlin relies on state media to portray the war as a domestic success, even as the West continues to punish Moscow with punitive sanctions.
What to watch: Russia’s desire to limit information now could affect the West’s ability to understand exactly what is happening in the country in the coming years.