Russia declares nine US-funded media outlets as "foreign agents"

The Kremlin has designated nine US-funded media outlets as "foreign agents."

It has added Radio Free Europe and Voice of America, the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing the Justice Ministry as saying.

Other media outlets include congressionally-funded Cold War-era outlets that partly broadcast in Russian, as well as seven outlets controlled by them that mostly focus on specific regions like Crimea and the North Caucasus, the report said.

The move is in retaliation for the US justice department ordering the Russian channels RT and Sputnik to register as foreign agents there.

The US has accused RT, formerly known as Russia Today, of being a propaganda outlet for the Kremlin.

It was specifically accused of spreading false information during the 2016 presidential election.

Earlier in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law allowing Russia to register international media outlets as foreign agents.

By law, the nine media organisations listed by the Russian justice ministry will have to brand their output as the work of "foreign agents" - and disclose their source of funding. 

-ANI