Russia has intensified repression against "undesirable" media, according to British intelligence.

The British intelligence has analyzed how Russia has intensified its efforts to exert pressure and control over the media since the onset of the full-scale war against Ukraine. It is noted that in 2024, Russian courts imposed a significant number of fines on journalists or readers of media outlets that the Russian authorities declared "undesirable." These fines are aimed at intimidating and deterring publications.

This information was reported by the British Ministry of Defence on social media platform X (Twitter).

According to data from the independent Russian media organization "Mediazona," most of these fines were levied against the Meduza project operating in Latvia, as well as other outlets, including the U.S.-funded "Radio Free Europe" and the television channel "Dozhd."

The majority of the fines were imposed on authors, editors, or commentators who contributed to the publications.

According to British intelligence, the fines are intended to prevent independent media from reporting on anything that contradicts or criticizes the official Russian narratives regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. These fines aim to intimidate and deter those in Russia who engage with independent media and reject the government-controlled narratives disseminated through state-run media.

"This activity aligns with the trend of increasing efforts by the Russian government to control the media and further restrict freedom of speech since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022," the statement reads.

The report highlights that most independent Russian media outlets have been shut down or forced to operate abroad, while the Russian government has implemented and enforced increasingly stringent restrictions on citizens' access to foreign media.

"Russian efforts to limit independent media are likely to continue throughout the conflict, reflecting the heightened sensitivity of the leadership to the potential of the conflict affecting regime stability," the British Ministry of Defence notes.

Background. Earlier, Mind reported that last December, the Russian army experienced record personnel losses since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.