MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. The West will try to influence the presidential elections in Russia via Internet platforms and social media, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at the meeting of the Federation Council Commission on protection of sovereignty and prevention of intervention in Russia’s internal affairs.

"There still remain mass channels for information manipulation, which our 'opponents,' 'adversaries,' 'enemies' […] use actively. This, first and foremost, included digital Internet platforms, hosting platforms, […] these platforms are being used and will be used in order to influence the mass consciousness of our country; this is [proven] by the simple fact that Google, […] owner and operator of YouTube, blocked Russia’s regional state television just yesterday," Zakharova said.

Previously, the Russian State Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) announced that YouTube blocked access to at least 19 channels of its regional subsidiaries. Currently, the platform blocked channels of Adygea, Altay Region, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk and Vologda regions, Trans-Baikal Region, Karelia, Mari El, Murmansk Region, Perm Region, Pskov and Rostov Region, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Tomsk, Tymen regions, Udmurtiya and Yakutiya.