Moscow Russia has criticized the United States for violating freedom of information and media pluralism following the detention and interrogation of a Russian film crew in Washington. According to Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, these actions reflect the US government's growing suppression of inconvenient information.
Russian Journalists Detained in Washington
A film crew from Izvestia newspaper, which had arrived in Washington to cover the upcoming US presidential election, was subjected to hours of interrogation on Tuesday night. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that one journalist was even expelled from the country.
Zakharova emphasized that the journalists had complied with all US regulations, notifying the authorities of their intentions and receiving prior permission to cover the election.
“This incident underscores the US readiness to use repressive measures against inconvenient information, " Zakharova said in a statement.
Russia Promises Retaliation
The Russian government has condemned these actions, promising a "proper reaction" to what it called the arbitrariness of the American authorities.
"The arbitrary behavior of the American authorities will not go unanswered, " Zakharova warned, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This incident has further strained US-Russia relations, with both countries accusing each other of suppressing press freedom.