World

Russia Blocks German Newspaper's Website

Bild says it has been putting Russian-language reports on Russia's war in Ukraine and its slide toward "totalitarian dictatorship" on its website.

A man holds fragments of a rocket launched by the Russian.
Efrem Lukatsky / AP
SMS

Russian authorities have blocked the website of German newspaper Bild, part of their efforts to control the message on Ukraine.

Communications and media regulator Roskomnadzor said Sunday it blocked Bild's website at prosecutors' request.

Instagram and Facebook were already blocked in Russia after Roskomnadzor said they were being used to call for violence against Russian soldiers. Russian authorities also have shut access to foreign media websites, including BBC, European news network Euronews, the U.S. government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and Latvia-based website Meduza.

Bild says it has been putting Russian-language reports on Russia's war in Ukraine and its slide toward "totalitarian dictatorship" on its website, and parts of its live video broadcasts have been subtitled in Russian. It noted that it also has a Russian-language Telegram channel.

Bild editor-in-chief Johannes Boie said the decision to block its website in Russia "confirms us in our journalistic work for democracy, freedom and human rights."

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.