Russia declares an independent TV channel ‘undesirable’ and bans it from country

MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian prosecutor-general’s office has declared independent TV channel Dozhd to be an undesirable organization, continuing the country’s wide crackdown on news media and groups regarded as threats to Russia’s security. The designation outlaws Dozhd from operating in Russia and exposes its journalists, staff and donors to potential criminal charges. Dozhd, which is often critical of the Kremlin, closed its operations in Russia soon after the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, moving first to Latvia and then to the Netherlands. The prosecutor-general’s office said Dozhd had spread extremist material and discredited authorities. In recent years, Russia has methodically targeted people and organizations critical of the Kremlin.