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Pro-Trump protests in Washington DC

‘Nuclear blast in cyberspace’: Diplomat slams Big Tech purge of Trump as blow to democracy

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman likened the decision by US Internet platforms to a nuclear explosion in cyberspace

© AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File

MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Silicon Valley’s purge of incumbent US President Donald Trump’s accounts across social media has harmed the democratic values regularly professed by the West, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Facebook page.

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YouTube suspends Trump from uploading content

"The decision by US Internet platforms to block the accounts of the head of state can be likened to a nuclear explosion in cyberspace. The aftereffects are worse than destruction. A blow has been dealt to the democratic values professed by Western society. Both darknet apologists and the advocates of harsh censorship have instantly gained a substantial argument. The media market has begun to be reshaped and a massive digital migration is afoot," she wrote.

Earlier, US-based social media giant Twitter said that it had permanently blocked access to Trump’s personal account due to his violations of the terms of service and also for fear that he might try to trigger unrest. Also, he was stripped of the right to upload posts to Facebook and Instagram until his term of office will have expired. Apple has temporarily removed Parler from its App Store, which is very popular with Trump supporters.

On January 6, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol Building in Washington DC to stop lawmakers from officially certifying the results of the November presidential election in a last-ditch attempt to prevent Democrat Joe Biden from becoming the new president. According to the authorities, during the unrest a woman demonstrator was shot.

Also, three unrelated deaths, described as medical emergencies, were reported. A Capitol police officer died after the clashes. Biden’s inauguration is scheduled for January 20.

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Pro-Trump protests in Washington DC

Military operation in Ukraine

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