Russia to take action against French media in response to RT France account bans

The RT France Union said on Friday that their accounts had been frozen. (Representational)

French media in the country after RT France account have been blocked, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Saturday.

"Blocking RT France account will lead to retaliatory measures against French media in Russia. They will be very noticeable, if the French authorities do not stop intimidating Russian journalists," the ministry said.

The bank account of the RT France TV channel was blocked in France at the request of the General Directorate of the Treasury under the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, Le Monde reported on Thursday. It was noted that the decision was made in accordance with the ninth package of EU sanctions, adopted in mid-December 2022.

The French finance ministry told AFP that the assets of the chain had been frozen in compliance with the most recent EU sanctions, and not on Paris's initiative.

Unlike the initial sanctions decided after Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, fresh EU measures adopted in December provided for an "asset freeze" of targeted entities, the same ministry source said

Among those entities is "ANO TV Novosti, a parent company holding 100 percent of RT France", the source said, explaining the decision.

RT was blocked in most Western countries after the Kremlin sent troops to Ukraine in February last year.