Russia on Wednesday ordered the closure of the Moscow office of Canadian radio and television CBC / Radio-Canada and the cancellation of the accreditations and visas of its journalists, a decision described as “unacceptable” by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

It is the first time that Moscow has vetoed a Western media group since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 24. Russia explained that it was a response to the ban on broadcasting the channels of the Russian group RT in Canada, decided in mid-March.

“By his decision to expel the Canadian media from Moscow, Putin is trying to prevent them from reporting the facts and this is unacceptable,” Trudeau said on Twitter. “Journalists must be able to work safely, without censorship, intimidation or interference,” he added.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said “the CBC has become a propaganda megaphone” against Russia and accused the Canadian government of “taking an openly Russophobic course”.

He also denounced Canada’s support for Ukraine before and after the Russian offensive.

The CBC/Radio-Canadase group said it was “deeply disappointed” with the Kremlin’s decision and recalled that it had had a correspondent’s office in Moscow for 44 years and that it was the only Canadian media to have a permanent presence. in the country.

The CBC, which employs nine people in Russia, including three foreign journalists, announced in early March that it was “temporarily” suspending the work of its reporters in Russia due to a new law that imposes prison sentences for the broadcasting of “misleading information”. army”, in the midst of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. (YO)