UPDATE - Kremlin slams Meta’s ban on Russian state media outlets

ADDS FURTHER REMARKS BY KREMLIN SPOKESMAN

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin on Tuesday slammed Meta, the parent company of social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, for its ban on Russian state media networks from its platforms.

“Such selective actions against Russian media are unacceptable. We have an extremely negative attitude towards this,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in the capital Moscow.

Describing the decision as “an outright discrediting of Meta” itself, Peskov said this complicates the prospects for normalizing its ties with the company.

Meta, owned by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, on Monday said it was banning RT, Rossiya Segodnya and other Russian state media networks from its platforms for “foreign interference activity.”

The move came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new sanctions on Friday against RT, formerly known as Russia Today, claiming that it possessed cyber capabilities and engaged in “covert information influence operations and military procurement."

Earlier this month, US authorities unsealed an indictment against two employees of RT and seized 32 internet domains on accusations of interference in the November presidential election.

Russia has denied any attempts to interfere in the vote, dismissing the charges.

- Increase in Russia's military staff

Peskov also commented on Moscow's recent decision to increase the number of staff and military personnel in the armed forces.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree that will come into effect in December on increasing the strength of the armed forces from 2.2 million to 2.38 million.

"This is caused by the number of threats that exist for our country along the perimeter of our borders. This is caused by the extremely hostile situation on the western borders, instability on the eastern borders," Peskov said.

This situation "requires taking appropriate measures," Peskov added.