Russia denounces Moldova’s move to block Russian-language portals
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow views the decision to block Moldova’s Russian-language portals as a hostile act. The ministry summarized its stance in a comment published on government channels, framing the action as a deliberate affront to Russia and a display of a stubborn anti-Russian posture by Chisinau’s officials.
Officials described the step as an attempt to suppress any signs of dissent and to stifle disagreement with Moldova’s authorities. They argued that the blocking policy infringes upon the freedom of expression for Moldovan residents and their right to access information in Russian.
The ministry noted that, on 24 October, Moldovan intelligence authorities decided to restrict access to more than 20 Russian online media outlets. The blacklist reportedly includes the websites of major Russian broadcasters and news services such as VGTRK, Mir, NTV, Rossiya Segodnya, REN TV, Zvezda, Vesti, and RTR-Planeta. It was stated that providers were instructed to block access for Moldovan users to these media outlets.
Earlier remarks attributed to Roskomnadzor indicated that Russia is seeking a balance in how YouTube operates within the country, signaling ongoing concerns about access to Russian content on the platform.