Vladimir Putin’s decision to have Russian forces invade Ukraine has led to strong reactions from around the world, including some pretty random and bizarre ones. For instance, as Jennifer Hassan reported on Thursday for The Washington Post, “International Cat Federation bans Russian cats from competitions.” CNN has now also decided to stop broadcasting in Russia. The decision comes after Russia enacted a new law cracking down on “fake” news.
As Reuters reported on Friday:
Lawmakers passed amendments to the criminal code making the spread of “fake” information an offence punishable with fines or jail terms. They also imposed fines for anyone calling for sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
“CNN will stop broadcasting in Russia while we continue to evaluate the situation and our next steps moving forward,” a spokesperson said.
News organizations including the BBC and Canadian Broadcasting Corp have also suspended reporting from Russia following the passing of the law.
Many took to Twitter to poke fun at the news outlet, adding some humor to what has been a sobering foreign policy crisis on the world stage:
Russia already has a Propaganda News > They don’t need OURS !!!!!!