VIENNA, December 28. /TASS/. Coverage of Russia in the Austrian media is aimed at aggravating the already strained bilateral relationship between Moscow and Vienna, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinsky said in an interview with TASS.

"They are seeking to aggravate the current deplorable state of the relationship between Russia and Austria. Cooperation in almost all spheres has been frozen, if not discontinued altogether. There is no political agenda whatsoever," the envoy lamented.

According to Lyubinsky, Vienna’s "partners across the ocean" are overtly seeking to dictate to the Austrian leadership what stance they should hold.

"In Austrian media, there is an unspoken ban on reports covering the Russian embassy or stories about the ambassador," Lyubinsky said. "There are exceptions, though, as there are reporters who are brave enough to publish such reports or take interviews," he continued. However, Lyubinsky said, most members of the Austrian media, whether print, radio or TV, hold a negative attitude toward Russia. "This is why we have been mostly working online, through news portals. That’s not easy, but, I think, the Austrian public is certainly interested in our point of view," he added.

Far from every media outlet is willing to publish materials that clearly reflect Russia’s position, Lyubinsky said, noting that not only Austria, but also the entire West is experiencing problems with freedom of speech. However, he insisted, "this does not diminish our commitment to defending our own point of view in every possible venue."