Vladimir Putin Accuses Western Social Media Of Ignoring Russian Law

The Russian government has in recent months been clamping down on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for hosting content supporting jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Western social media platforms of ignoring Russian authorities' requests to delete illegal content, but stressed the country had no plans to block their work. The Russian government has in recent months been clamping down on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for hosting content supporting jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. "No, we are not planning to block anybody. We are planning to work with them," Putin said during his annual televised phone-in. "But there is a problem that they send us packing when they do not follow our requests and our laws," Putin added.