Russia: "If YouTube blocks Foreign Ministry briefings, Western journalists will be expelled"

Interpretation of Strong Response Following Closure of Russian State Duma YouTube Account in April

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on YouTube that if access to her briefing is blocked, Western journalists will be expelled from Russia. Photo by AP

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] On the 26th (local time), Russian state news agency TASS reported that Russia stated it would expel Western journalists if it blocks access to its Foreign Ministry briefings on YouTube.

On the same day, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that if access to her briefings on YouTube is blocked, Western journalists would be expelled from Russia.

Spokesperson Zakharova holds regular weekly briefings on Russian foreign policy topics through platforms such as YouTube.

Earlier, on April 9, YouTube closed the Russian State Duma account citing "violation of service terms."

At that time, Google stated that it "complies with all applicable sanctions and trade laws" and closed the State Duma channel in accordance with U.S. sanctions.

The Duma account mainly posted videos of parliamentary debates and interviews with Russian lawmakers. It had approximately 145,000 subscribers.

Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Russian State Duma, said via Telegram, "The United States wants to have a monopoly on information dissemination," adding, "We cannot allow that."