CBC ‘very disappointed’; Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it will cancel journalists’ visas
Russia has moved to close CBC/Radio-Canada’s Moscow bureau and strip its journalists of their visas and accreditation, saying it was retaliating after Canada banned Russian state TV station RT.
“It’s our response measure, which is taken because of the decision of the Canadian government to ban broadcasting of the Russian channel, Russia Today and RT France,” Vladimir Proskuryakov, deputy chief of mission at Russia’s Embassy in Canada, told CBC News.
“There is no question about making any unfriendly steps against Russia. We will have to respond to this. This is the rules of the game.”
The move comes after Canada’s telecommunications regulator said it was removing RT and RT France, stations formerly known as Russia Today, from its list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution in Canada.
It was not clear why Russia waited two months to announce its decision.
On Wednesday evening, Proskuryakov said CBC/Radio-Canada’s foreign staff would have “not less than three weeks” to leave the country.
“I can assure you that the journalists, the reporters, the representatives of CBC will not suffer. So actually, we will take into account all the factors, family situation, etc., and we will allow them to still come back and finish their business, close all deals, what they need. And if they need, we will give them some time.”
Announcing the closure to reporters in Moscow earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Canada and other countries of “open attacks on the Russian media.”
The Russian Embassy soon reiterated its stance in a tweet.
Proskuryakov said he “wouldn’t rule out” Russia shutting down other international news outlets’ bureaus, including those of European Union countries which have collectively banned RT and Russia’s Sputnik news agency since the start of the war in Ukraine.
In February, after Germany blocked RT’s broadcasts, Russia responded by closing the Moscow bureau of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and revoking press credentials for its journalists.
