Russian regulator proceeds to block Twitter shortly after restricting Facebook

the regulator Russian of communications, Roskomnadzor, has proceeded to block Twittershortly after doing the same with the social network Facebook.

According to a document on the regulator’s website, the measure is due to a request from the Russian Prosecutor’s Office on February 24, the date of the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.

Previously, Roskomnadzor announced the blocking of access in Russia to the Facebook social network in response to the “censorship” of Russian media accounts.

“On March 4, it was decided to block access to the social network Facebook, controlled by Meta, on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Roskomnadzor said in a statement.

The Russian regulator had already partially restricted and slowed down access to Facebook and Twitter for the spread of “false information” about the actions of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Then he explained that he was taking this measure after the American technology company restricted the official accounts of four Russian media: the Zvezda military television channel, the official RIA Nóvosti agency, the Lenta portal and the Gazeta.ru newspaper.

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office stated that Facebook “illegally restricted the dissemination through Internet users of socially important information on the territory of the Russian Federation, including messages and materials of registered media, in connection with the imposition of political sanctions and by foreign countries with respect to Russia.

The Russian authorities consider that this violates the right of citizens contained in article 29 of the Russian Constitution to “freely access, receive, transmit, produce and disseminate information in a legal manner,” said the Prosecutor’s Office.

Roskomnadzor said it has asked Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to lift the restrictions and explain the reasons for their introduction, but the social network ignored the Russian request.

This Friday, Russia approved a law that also plans to criminalize the publication of “fake news” that intends to discredit the Russian Army.