MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. The Kremlin reacts with understanding to the publication of personal data of BBC journalists in response to London’s actions in relation to Russian mass media workers, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

"We react with understanding [to this practice], we understand it," Peskov said, when asked if the Kremlin approved such actions.

In general, Moscow’s attitude to such treatment of Russian journalists is negative.

"At different levels we’ve expressed our absolute surprise and disappointment over what is happening in Britain towards Sputnik and RT journalists," Peskov said. About the list of employees of the Moscow office of the BBC, published on the portal Pikabu, Peskov remarked: "Look at what appeared here. What else did you expect? As Putin said, at least we are not followers of the Code of Hammurabi [tit for tat], but only in the official sense," he added.

Peskov described Britain’s actions as "absolutely unprecedented and dissonant with the existing civilization norms, the rules of attitude to the mass media and the freedom of mass media and a direct threat to the security of the very same individuals who work for Russian mass media in Britain."

"Of course, we were unable to conceal our anger, surprise and condemnation. All very negative terms can be used," Peskov said.

Publication of personal data of Russian and British journalists

A list of persons who, as follows from the publication, are employees of the Moscow office of the BBC, was uploaded by an unknown user to the news and entertainment portal Pikabu. A number of Russian mass media carried similar reports quoting the original source. Earlier, the British weekly Mail on Sunday said the British authorities suspected a camera crew of Russia’s national TV Channel One of spying. The newspaper quoted military sources as saying that Channel One correspondent Timur Siraziyev and his cameraman were noticed near the base of the 77th Brigade of the British armed forces in Berkshire on November 21.

Mail on Sunday published the text of an army instruction and a report of the incident saying that the Russians who introduced themselves as Channel One journalists were not allowed to enter the premises for filming a news story. The document was accompanied by photos of Siraziyev’s journalistic ID, his office car and its license plate, as well as an instruction that this person and his vehicle must by no means be allowed to enter the premises of any military facilities and should they be noticed anywhere near, the personnel should instantly call the police. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that if the persecution of Russia’s Channel One in Britain continued, Russia would publish information about the violations of accreditation rules committed by British mass media workers in Russia.