US media face Russian visa denial due to US restrictions

By JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s foreign ministry has called U.S. news media to a meeting to warn that their accreditations and visas could be withdrawn if the United States does not rescind measures limiting Russian journalists there. The warning from ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova comes amid high tensions with the West over Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, where Russian forces have taken substantial territory. The Kremlin-funded TV channel RT was dropped by U.S. cable and satellite operators, state-run TV stations have been targeted by U.S. sanctions and YouTube has blocked many official Russian channels, including feeds of Zakharova’s weekly briefings. Zakharova also said Russian journalists have been denied U.S. visas or extensions of them.