Moscow vows countermeasures after Berlin blocks Channel One bureau

Russia has announced plans to introduce reciprocal measures following Germany's decision to shut down the Berlin bureau of Channel One, according to Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Zakharova stated that Moscow's response would be outlined later today, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

"Countermeasures will be announced today," she confirmed.

Thus, the closure of Channel One’s office in Berlin has resulted in the expulsion of correspondent Ivan Blagoy and cameraman Dmitry Volkov, who have reportedly been instructed to leave Germany in early December.

The German government justified the move on grounds of national security, according to Channel One’s statement. The broadcaster, however, condemned the closure as "a punishment for truth and professionalism," suggesting that Blagoy and Volkov's investigative reports on sensitive topics had made them “powerful enemies.”

These reports included coverage of the Ukraine conflict, the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, and allegations involving German elites.

Channel One added that the decision to close its bureau was communicated on November 26. It linked the move to a recent report about the detention of German national Nikolai Gaiduk by Russian authorities.

Gaiduk was accused of collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence to smuggle explosive devices into Kaliningrad with the intention of sabotaging gas infrastructure in the Russian exclave.

By Aghakazim Guliyev