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Measures of Russia’s media watchdog against Twitter were correct, says official

On April 5, Roskomnadzor announced it has decided to extend measures to slow down Twitter until May 15, instead of blocking the website

MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Measures of Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) to slow down Twitter traffic for not removing content prohibited in Russia were correct, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergey Kiriyenko told reporters on Tuesday.

"Fortunately, after Roskomnadzor began to apply restrictive measures - and it was done very correctly, so that users would not suffer, - for the first time in several years the company began the work (on removing prohibited content - TASS). The platform is not blocked, but the signal is slowed down," he said.

On April 5, Roskomnadzor announced it has decided to extend measures to slow down Twitter until May 15, instead of blocking the website. The service also noted that on April 1, Twitter’s Vice President for public policy and communications for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region Sinead McSweeney, informed Russia’s media watchdog of the company's efforts to improve the moderation of prohibited content.

On March 10, the watchdog announced the beginning of a "primary slowdown" in the speed of Twitter in Russia due to the fact that the service does not remove content prohibited in the country. The department promised to continue measures against the social network up to its blocking.