MOSCOW: Russia’s Union of Journalists on Thursday accused YouTube of “censorship” and called for punitive measures, as fears mount that the US company maybe next in line for a ban in Russia.
“Biased moderation and open censorship by digital platforms must have consequences in accordance with the norms of the Russian law,” head of Russia’s Union of Journalists Vladimir Solovyev said as quoted by the Interfax news agency.
“We urge Russian authorities to react to the situation and to take appropriate measures against Google and the video hosting service YouTube,” he said.
According to Solovyev, the union will file a relevant request with Russian prosecutors, the foreign ministry and the country’s media regulator Roskomnadzor.
Separately, Russia’s largest media holding company and a subsidiary of state energy giant Gazprom, on Thursday criticized YouTube for removing two of its channels — TNT and NTV — from the platform.
“YouTube’s decision to block them for millions of subscribers has come as an absolute surprise,” Gazprom-Media said on Telegram, calling YouTube’s actions “politically biased and infringing on the interests of our viewers.”
State-owned media group Rossiya Segodnya said its news agency Sputnik, which has been banned from broadcasting in the European Union, was also removed from YouTube.
“All resources of Sputnik in 32 languages are unavailable, YouTube just blocked them,” the group’s spokeswoman Anna Starikova said as quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency.
Russian regulators last week accused US tech giant Google and its video subsidiary YouTube of “terrorist” activities.
Russia has already blocked access to other global tech giants including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as several independent media.
It has also found Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, guilty of “extremist activities.”
YouTube accused of ‘censorship’ in Russia
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YouTube accused of ‘censorship’ in Russia
- Russia accused YouTube of “censorship” and called for punitive measures, as fears mount that the US company maybe next in line for a ban in Russia
Tucker Carlson claims he was detained at Israeli airport
DUBAI: Earlier this week, Tucker Carlson flew to Israel to interview US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, according to media reports.
Carlson, who reportedly refused to leave Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport complex, conducted the interview at the airport, after which he said he and his staff were detained and their passports were seized.
“Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about,” Carlson said in a statement to The New York Post.
However, Carlson’s claims have been contradicted by Huckabee and Israeli authorities.
Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Fox News host, said on social media platform X that “EVERYONE who comes in/out of Israel (every country for that matter) has passports checked & routinely asked security questions,” including himself, despite holding a diplomatic passport and visa.
Thanks @EFischberger for a more accurate report. EVERYONE who comes in/out of Israel (every country for that matter) has passports checked & routinely asked security questions. Even ME going in/out with Diplomatic Passport & Diplomatic Visa. https://t.co/UbblLiznMO
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 18, 2026
The US Embassy in Israel also described the interaction as routine passport control procedures.
The Israel Airports Authority said in a statement that Carlson and his staff “were not detained, delayed, or interrogated.”
They were asked “a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers,” and this conversation took place in a separate room within the VIP lounge to protect their privacy, the statement added.
“No unusual incident occurred, and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejects any other claims.”
Israeli Airports Authority:
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) February 18, 2026
Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated.
Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers.
The…
Carlson has faced criticism in recent years over his commentary on Israel, with critics accusing him of amplifying narratives that are hostile to Israel and, at times, antisemitic. He has also questioned Israel’s treatment of Christian communities in the region.
After Fox News canceled his show in April 2023, he launched his own program, “The Tucker Carlson Show” in 2024.
The show has featured controversial figures, including Darryl Cooper, who has made statements widely condemned as Holocaust denial, and white nationalist commentator Nick Fuentes.
In his interview with Fuentes, Carlson labeled Huckabee a “Christian Zionist.”
Carlson has also criticized Huckabee for not doing enough to protect Christian interests in the region. In one video, he said: “Why not go ahead and talk to Christians and find out their side of the story? Why aren’t American Christian leaders like Mike Huckabee or Ted Cruz, people who invoke the Christian Bible to justify what they’re doing, why haven’t they done this?”
Huckabee responded to the video on X, writing: “Instead of talking ABOUT me, why don’t you come talk TO me? You seem to be generating a lot of heat about the Middle East. Why be afraid of the light?”
Carlson accepted the invitation, and their teams coordinated the interview, leading to his brief visit to Israel.
