Since initiating its Ukraine offensive last year, Russia has significantly tightened restrictions on media and social media freedom, banning any criticism of the military action.
On Sunday, Russia added Meta Platforms spokesperson Andy Stone to a wanted list, citing unspecified charges. This move comes as Russia categorizes the US social media giant, owner of Facebook, as “extremist.”
The crackdown on media and social media freedom in Russia escalated following the country’s Ukraine offensive last year, with a ban on criticism of the military actions.
Stone’s inclusion on the Interior Ministry’s wanted list lacks specific details about the charges against him. In October 2022, Russia designated Meta as a “terrorist and extremist” organization, opening the door to potential criminal investigations and fines for users within the country.
Facebook and Instagram have been blocked (seized) in Russia since the onset of the Ukraine offensive, and access is now limited to VPNs.
X (formerly Twitter) faces a ban in Russia, along with independent media critical of the Kremlin. Prior to these bans, Meta’s applications, particularly Instagram, were widely used by millions of Russians, especially the younger demographic.
In April 2022, Russia added Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to a blacklist, prohibiting him from entering the country.
