How Germany and Russia reached the mutual closure of the media

What measures will Russia take against Deutsche Welle

On Thursday, February 3, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced a list of measures taken in response to the ban on broadcasting of the Russian-funded German-language TV channel RussiaToday in Germany. On Smolenskaya Square, they emphasized that this is only the first stage, information about the subsequent ones "will be published in a timely manner." Among the priority steps are the closure of the correspondent office of the German television and radio company Deutsche Welle in Russia and the cancellation of the accreditation of all employees of the Russian bureau; termination of satellite and other broadcasting of the television and radio company on the territory of Russia. A procedure will also be launched to consider the issue of recognizing Deutsche Welle as a foreign media outlet acting as a foreign agent, and a list of representatives of state and public structures of Germany involved in restricting the broadcasting of RT DE, who will be banned from entering Russia, will be drawn up. According to RBC sources, the Russian Foreign Ministry also asked the German media accredited in Russia for the availability of budget funding.

Problems with RT DE broadcasting have been repeatedly commented on by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. In January, ministers Lavrov and his German colleague Annalen Burbock discussed the issue at talks in Moscow. The Russian minister at a press conference pointed out that the German authorities were obstructing the work of the TV channel, and promised that if the situation did not improve, Moscow would be forced to take mirror response measures. Burbock denied the political component of the conflict, moreover, according to her, RT DE journalists worked quietly in the country, including at government press conferences. At the same time, the HEAD of the German Foreign Ministry said that state foreign television channels do not have the right to broadcast in Germany. In turn, Kommersant quoted an unnamed source in state structures, who said, that RT is an “autonomous non-profit organization”, non-state. And both DW and the BBC and many other media receive budgetary funds from the state, while having the opportunity to work in Germany.”