Brussels and other capital cities of the EU bloc chose a path of escalation, forcing Moscow to undertake mirror and proportionate retaliatory measures, according to a statement on the ministry’s website.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also announced it had sanctioned media outlets in Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Germany. The move also targeted news websites, radio and TV stations in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Italy and a number of other countries.
The ministry said Russia would reconsider removing its ban if the EU lifts its recent sanctions on the Russian media.
In May, the EU imposed sanctions on Russia’s state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, state-owned Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, the Voice of Europe (VOE) platform and the pro-Kremlin daily Izvestia, which also owns a TV channel.