Russia is restricting access to 81 media outlets from the European Union (EU) on its territory, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Paralel.Az reports citing TASS.

"As a response to the decision made by the EU Council on May 17 to ban ‘all broadcast activity’ of three Russian media outlets (RIA Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta), which comes into force today, June 25, counter restrictions are being introduced on access from the territory of the Russian Federation to broadcasting a number of media outlets of EU member states and EU-wide media operators who systematically disseminate false information about the progress of the special military operation," the ministry said.

Among the foreign media that will have limited access in Russia are Germany’s Spiegel, Zeit, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Spain’s El Pais, the Italian La Stampa, La Repubblica, French media Le Monde, Liberation, as well as the pan-European Politico and EUobserver.

The Foreign Ministry noted that the Russian side has repeatedly and at various levels warned that "politically motivated harassment of domestic journalists and unfounded bans on Russian media in the EU will not go unanswered."

"Despite this, Brussels and the capitals of the bloc countries chose to take the path of escalation, forcing Moscow to take tit-for-tat and proportional countermeasures to this latest illegal ban. Responsibility for such a development of events lies solely with the leadership of the European Union and the countries of this association that supported such a decision," the ministry stressed.

The Russian Foreign Ministry added that if the restrictions on Russian media are lifted, Moscow will also reconsider its decision in relation to the mentioned media outlets.