Putin accuses the West of persecuting Russian journalists

The West is openly persecuting Russian journalists, President Vladimir Putin said in remarks published on Monday, days after Moscow banned dozens of US journalists from entering the country.

"To hide from inconvenient facts, from truthful information, the West, which considers itself the standard of freedom, has launched an open persecution against Russian correspondents," Putin told the Mongolian newspaper Onoodor on the eve of his visit to the country, according to a transcript provided on the Kremlin's website.

His remarks come after Moscow said on Wednesday it was banning entry to Russia for 92 US citizens, including journalists, lawyers, and the heads of what it said were key military-industrial firms, over what it described as Washington's Russophobic stance.

Reuters