Incident
Russia: CBC/Radio-Canada bureau closed and journalists' visas cancelled
Russian authorities ordered the Canadian broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada's Moscow bureau closed and cancelled its journalists' visas and accreditation, part of a wave of expulsions and non-renewals of foreign correspondents after the invasion of Ukraine.123
What happened
On May 18, 2022, Russian authorities moved to close the Moscow bureau of CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada's public broadcaster, and cancelled the visas and accreditation of its correspondents there, ending the outlet's ability to report from inside the country. The action came three months into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, during a period in which Russia also blocked the websites of the BBC's Russian service, Germany's Deutsche Welle and other outlets, and later denied visa renewals to correspondents from the Netherlands and Finland and expelled two German journalists. Canada had imposed sanctions on Russian officials and state media figures over the invasion, and Russian officials described several of these press-related measures as reciprocal steps against countries that had sanctioned Russia or its state broadcasters.123
Sustained; the bureau remained closed in the sources reviewed.123
What reason was given
Stated justification
What changed for reporting
The closure ended CBC's ability to report from inside Russia during the war, joining several other Western outlets whose correspondents lost accreditation or visas over the same period.2
Timeline
2022
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Vladimir Putin | other | President of Russia |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| CBC/Radio-Canada | outlet | affected |
Sources
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- Description of the action against CBC's Moscow bureau.
Russian authorities have moved to close the outlet's Moscow bureau and cancel the visa and accreditations of its journalists
Russia-Ukraine war press freedom watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-03-11.Claim 635, checked 2026-09-22. - CPJ's broader characterization of Russia's actions since the invasion began.
Russian authorities have moved quickly to establish total censorship and control over the free flow of information since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24,
Russia-Ukraine war press freedom watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-03-11.Claim 636, checked 2026-09-22. - Related blocking action against other foreign outlets in the same period.
Roskomnadzor on Friday, March 4, blocked access to several news websites, including those of BBC Russian, German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle
Russia further blocks media outlets, social media, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-03-04.Claim 637, checked 2026-09-22.