ISTANBUL

Moldova on Monday announced that it issued an order blocking access to leading Russian media outlets.

“The order containing mandatory indications was sent to network and/or electronic communications service providers in order to immediately block … the access of users from the Republic of Moldova to the mentioned sources,” said a statement by the country’s Security and Intelligence Service.

The list included several Russian media outlets such as TASS, Interfax, Izvestia, Komsomolskaya Pravda, and Sputnik Radio, as well as some Moldovan websites.

Last Tuesday, Moldova announced a similar decision blocking access to websites of Russian news outlets and television channels, including RT and Smotrim, which Moscow described as "the grossest violation of freedom of speech and rights.”

Relations between Russia and Moldova, a former republic of the Soviet Union, have deteriorated since 2003 and completely degraded since pro-Western Maia Sandu was elected president in 2020.

Sandu’s condemnation of Russia’s “special military operation” in neighboring Ukraine has further escalated tensions between the two countries, with Sandu also publicly accusing Moscow of attempting to orchestrate her ouster and “destabilize” Moldova. Russia has denied the claims.