MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. Moscow initiates the procedure of reviewing of issue of recognizing Germany’s Deutsche Welle as a foreign agent by competent bodies, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

According to the Ministry, this will take place within the first stage of "reciprocal measures to Germany’s unfriendly actions" on the restriction of RT DE’s operation.

"[The measures taken by Moscow include] the initiation by competent bodies of the Russian Federation of the procedure of reviewing of issue of recognition of Deutsche Welle as a foreign mass media acting as a foreign agent," the Ministry said.