Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor blocked access to Google News from Russia on Wednesday. The news aggregator would give access to ‘fake news’ about the war in Ukraine.
It is not clear which fake news is involved, but against Interfax news agency Roskomnadzor says that these are “several publications” that spread “unreliable information about the special military operation in Ukraine”. Russia calls the war in Ukraine a “special military operation.”
Media active in Russia should not call the Russian invasion war or invasion. News publications that do so are seen as spreaders of illegal disinformation and fake news. Journalists can be jailed for years or face heavy fines.
It is not the first time since the war in Ukraine that Russia has blocked or hindered foreign platforms. Previously this happened with Facebook and Twitter. Several tech companies have also stopped selling products and services in Russia and many independent Russian and foreign journalists have fled the country. Conversely, the news sites RT and Sputnik have been banned in Europe for spreading fake news.