Russia is planning to deny all visas for the US media

Following the Russia-Ukraine ongoing war, Western countries against the war have withdrawn from active or passive participation in the war after numerous attempts to stop Russia from going ahead with the attacks. However, Russia has openly accused these countries of establishing hard and seemingly unfair laws restricting Russian media from working in these countries. Russia also stated that this unfair ban by the Western countries has also affected state-banned news outlets located abroad.

Due to this development, the Russian Foreign Ministry revealed on Friday through the ministry's spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, that there would be a scheduled meeting with all the heads of the entire US-owned media outlets in the country's capital Moscow..

Maria Zakharova said during the Friday revelation, "if the work of the Russian media, including operators and journalists, is not normalized in the United States of America, the most stringent measures will inevitably follow."

Speaking further on the topic, Maria added, "to this end, on Monday, June 6, the heads of the Moscow offices of all American media will be invited to the press center of the Russian Foreign Ministry to explain to them the consequences of their government's hostile line in the media sphere."

At the meeting in the press center on Monday, June 6, 2022, the Russian Foreign Ministry, with earlier invited US news media present, gave a sound warning to the media practitioners through Maria Zakharova. They stated that their accreditation and their visas to stay in Moscow would be immediately withdrawn from them if their home country, the United States, does not annul the ban that restricts the Russian media from performing their media duties in the United States.

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The US sanctions have also targeted the Kremlin's state-run television stations. Following the ongoing, the RT television station funded by the Kremlin in Russia was immediately disabled from operation by the US cable and media operators. YouTube has blocked many official Russian channels, including some regions of the weekly briefing by the foreign ministry through Maria Zakharova.

During the meeting at the press center, Maria Zakharova added that several Russian media practitioners, including journalists, have been denied their US visas and the renewal and extension of their visas. In contrast, others have been held back for lengthy interrogations at airports. Maria went ahead to ask a rhetorical question, "why on earth would we have to endure all this?" which was followed immediately by an assertive statement, "if they (referring to the US government) want to destroy our media space, then we will destroy it together." She explained to the practitioners present, "you see, it (the restriction) is like cutting a dog's tail piece by piece. Let us cut it off right away and not suffer."

Further speaking on the topic, Maria Zakharova told the US media outlets and the Associated Press representatives that "when you do not receive visas when you do not have accreditation, please don't say we didn't talk about it."

IIn concluding the meeting, Maria Zakharova dismissed all concerns about the short-term extensions, stating that this is their most extraordinary patience. Though Zakharova did not say a specific time frame when Russia would begin to take action, media practitioners' and journalist visas are only being renewed for three months.