Twitter Blocks Ukrainian Radical Group's Account In Russia

The U.S. microblogging service Twitter has apparently blocked the account of Ukraine's ultranationalist Right Sector group in Russia.

As of May 19, anyone who tries to open the @PravyjSektorRus account on Twitter only sees a description saying, "This account has been withheld in: Russia."

There has been no official statement from Twitter.

Access to the account in Russia was blocked two days after the Russian Ministry of Communications officially reprimanded Maksim Ksenzov, the chairman of Russia's media-monitoring state agency Roskomnadzor, for publicly saying that Twitter might be blocked in Russia for ignoring legal demands made by Russian officials regarding content regarded as "extremist."

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev slammed Kzensov's statement on May 16, writing on his Facebook account that "some officials have to switch on their brains and stay away from publicly saying that social networks are to be shut down."


Based on reperting by grani.ru and Interfax