MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has warned the British media operating in Russia about possible tit-for-tat measures as a response to the British government’s actions towards Russian journalists.
The UK government refused to accredit Russia’s Sputnik news agency and the RT television channel to the Global Conference for Media Freedom that is held in the British capital on July 10-11.
"We have always relied on the principles of reciprocity," Zakharova said. "So, the British media that are operating in Russia should be prepared to face the consequences of the actions of the British government."
After official London denied accreditation to the conference for the Russian media, it immediately evolved from an advocate of free and independent media into a crusader against unwanted news resources. "We required the British side to provide evidence to prove its publicly made statement accusing the Russian media of propagating false news," the Russian diplomat said. "The UK Foreign Office in its response statement refused to give any comments. It means that official London openly declared its status of propagator of fake news and slander."
"We consider these actions as a propaganda attack on the Russian mass media," Zakharova stressed. "And the British Foreign Office’s recent decision to allocate 100 million pounds in the next five years to counter misinformation looks even more alarming. Now it is not hard to guess what hides behind these plausible plans."