Russia on Tuesday blocked access to 81 EU media outlets including Times of Malta as a "retaliatory measure" after Brussels last month imposed broadcasting bans on several Russian media.  

"Counter-restrictions are being introduced on the access from Russian territory of broadcast resources of media outlets from EU member states," Moscow's foreign ministry said in a statement, publishing a list of media outlets and blaming Brussels for the restrictions.

The list includes Times of Malta as well as TVM, The Malta Independent and MaltaToday.

Media from 24 EU countries as well as pan-European outlets such as Politco and EU Observer are affected by the Russian ban.

Last month the EU said it was banning four Russian media outlets from broadcasting in the 27-nation bloc for what it called the spread of propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine and disinformation. The media outlets were Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, which the EU said, are all under the control of the Kremlin and were targeting “European political parties, especially during election periods.”

The EU had banned Russia Today and Sputnik among several other outlets soon after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022