Russian Senate committee expected to recommend restrictions on five US media outlets

Today, Russian lawmakers will likely submit a proposal to the country’s Telecom Ministry to restrict the activities of five US media outlets.

CNN, Voice of America and Radio Liberty are confirmed as three of the five institutions at risk, while the Washington Post and New York Times are believed to be the other two on the Senate’s blacklist. Today’s decision comes despite CNN correcting media violations levelled at it by Russia’s communications regulator earlier this month.

Today’s proposals are in retaliation to similar restrictions placed on Russian media institutions RT and Sputnik in the US. The proposals will essentially seek to replicate those restrictions: the five institutions listed will be declared propagandist and forced to disclose information about its activities and finances. Voice of America and Radio Liberty provide the perfect retaliatory foil for Russia, as both are US government-funded institutions originally founded for counter-propaganda purposes.

The strictness of the restrictions proposed by Russian lawmakers is dependent on future US action toward Russian media. If the US continues to restrict the activities of RT and Sputnik, then Russia will inevitably respond in kind.