MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Virtually all Western countries have launched outright harassment of Russian journalists to avoid the truth and inconvenient facts, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Mongolia’s Onoodor daily.

"Almost all Western countries where our journalists try to work, are creating obstacles for them, banning Russian television channels and directly censoring our media and online resources," he said. "Certainly, this runs counter to the democratic principles of freedom of speech and free flow of information."

Putin said everything that "all our media [operating in other countries] do is convey and explain Russia's point of view on current pressing issues and global processes. As they do so, they act in a respectful way and comply with the norms of morality and ethics as well as national legislation of each particular country."

"The West, which claims to be a model of freedom, has opted to hide from inconvenient facts and the truth by launching a blatant bullying campaign against Russian journalists and indiscriminately labelling them as 'Kremlin propagandists,'" he stated.

Putin continued by saying that: "In Russia, the mass media are free. This is solidly guaranteed by our Constitution."

"We are convinced that pluralism and openness in the information space are vital," the Russian president noted. "Our authorities cooperate constructively with television channels, news agencies, newspapers, online media and other media outlets, regardless of their editorial policy."

"The only thing they are required to do is to comply with Russian laws. This should be understood by foreign journalists accredited in Russia," according to Putin. "That is the way to strike the necessary balance between the freedom of press and ensuring national security that you have mentioned."