Russia has labelled German broadcaster Deutsche Welle an “undesirable” organisation, a justice ministry register showed Tuesday, amid Russia-Germany tensions over Ukraine and allegations of Moscow’s interference in Germany.
Deutsche Welle (DW), which has a Russian-language service but closed its Moscow bureau in 2022, appears on the Russian justice ministry’s list of “undesirable organisations” seen by AFP.
The broadcaster had already been declared a “foreign agent”, both labels used against critics of President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s policies.
Since Russia launched its assault of Ukraine in February 2022, the country’s justice ministry has banned dozens of groups critical of the Kremlin or Moscow’s conduct in the war.
The “undesirable organisation” label makes anyone who works with a group or donates money to them liable to prosecution in Russia.
“Russia may label us an undesirable organisation but that won’t deter us,” DW Director General Barbara Massing said in a statement sent to AFP amid reports the move was imminent.
“Despite censorship and blocking of our services by the Russian government, DW’s Russian-language service now reaches more people than ever before,” she said.
The move proves that “the Russian leadership fears independent information, especially about the war of aggression against Ukraine“, government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said on Monday in Berlin.
The move comes as Germany on Friday accused Russia of a cyberattack targeting its air traffic control and spreading disinformation ahead of February’s general election.
Russia dismissed the claims as “absurd” and “baseless”.
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