Berlin ratifies sanctions against Russian news team

(MENAFN) Germany has confirmed the expulsion of a news crew working for Russia’s state-run Channel 1 due to sanctions linked to the Ukraine conflict. Correspondent Ivan Blagoy and cameraman Dmitry Volkov were denied residency permits after their employer, the National Media Group, was blacklisted under the EU’s ninth sanctions package. The German immigration office stated the crew’s presence was a threat to Germany’s interests, as the media group is considered to be spreading “propaganda and disinformation.”

While the German Foreign Ministry denied reports of a complete closure of the Channel 1 office in Berlin, it affirmed that Russian journalists could still broadcast freely in Germany. Blagoy responded, clarifying that, while their press credentials weren’t revoked, their physical presence in the country was restricted, effectively barring them from working. Russia retaliated by expelling correspondents from Germany’s ARD network. The EU has sanctioned several Russian news organizations for spreading disinformation, while Russia has blacklisted numerous Western media outlets in return.

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