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US State Department supports Deutsche Welle after Russia’s reciprocal measures

"We stand in solidarity with Deutsche Welle and Germany in the face of Moscow’s crackdown on independent media", Ned Price noted

WASHINGTON, February 5. /TASS/. US State Department Spokesman Ned Price supported Germany's Deutsche Welle media company after Russia’s reciprocal measures against it following the ban on broadcasts of the RT DE TV channel in Germany, according to his statement on Twitter.

"The U.S. condemns the Russian government’s decision to shut down the Moscow office of Deutsche Welle. We stand in solidarity with Deutsche Welle and Germany in the face of Moscow’s crackdown on independent media, political opposition, and civil society," he wrote.

On Wednesday, Germany's Commission for Licensing and Supervision of media institutions banned RT DE broadcasting in German language in the country because of the lack of license. According to the media regulator, the channel neither obtained nor requested the mentioned license.

On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the German decision forces Moscow to take reciprocal measures against the Deutsche Welle office in Russia. Other measures include "the invalidation of accreditation of all employees" of the office. Russia also commenced creating a list of German representatives involved in the restriction of RT DE’s operation or other pressure on the Russian media operator. They will be barred from entering Russia. Moscow also ordered relevant institutions to consider recognizing Deutsche Welle as a media operator acting as a foreign agent. Moscow will also ban DW’s satellite and other broadcasting in Russia.