The US demand that international news agency and radio Sputnik’s partner in the country, RIA Global LLC, should register as a “foreign agent” is unacceptable, the Russian embassy said.
“We consider this action to be unacceptable. We regard it as yet another attack on the US-Russian relations.
“We firmly believe that such steps run counter to US interests and hurt its image and authority,” the statement read.
The US Department of Justice gave RIA Global a month begining from January 5 to register.
The agency’s obligation to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the department said, arises from its alleged political activities on the US soil based on information that the Department has not disclosed.
RIA Global is the latest addition to the U.S. list of Russia-linked “foreign agents” after the RT broadcaster and Sputnik Radio’s partner Reston Translator were told to register last fall.
In turn, the Russian Justice Ministry in December declared nine media outlets to be foreign agents, including the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. (NAN)