US tech giant Google and its subsidiary YouTube have been accused by Russian regulators of “terrorist” activities, a first step towards a possible ban on access.
Russia has already blocked access to other global tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as several independent media outlets.
Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor said YouTube users were “spreading advertisements calling for a halt to the rail link between Russia and Belarus.”
Russia partly launched its military operation against Ukraine last month from the north through the territory of its ally Belarus.
“The activities of the YouTube administration are of a terrorist nature and endanger the life and health of Russian citizens,” Interfax quoted Roskomnadzor as saying.
The watchdog condemned Google’s “blatant anti-Russian stance” and urged the US company to “stop broadcasting anti-Russian videos as soon as possible.”
Earlier this month, Russia opened a criminal case against Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, accusing the company of allowing posts calling for “killing” Russians.
Russia is one of the most restrictive countries in terms of freedom of the press and freedom of speech, but the situation has worsened over the past few weeks since the outbreak of war in Ukraine on February 24.