Russia warns over US denials of journalist visas

Russia has accused the United States of denying visas to journalists who wanted to cover Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's trip to New York, and Lavrov suggested that Moscow would take strong retaliatory measures. The journalists aimed to cover Lavrov's appearance at the United Nations to mark Russia's chairmanship of the Security Council. The US State Department did not comment on the claim of refused visas. Lavrov accused the US of showing that its sworn assurances about protecting freedom of speech and access to information were worth nothing. Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia would find ways to respond to this, so that the Americans will remember for a long time not to do this. The dispute comes in the wake of high tensions with Washington over the arrest last month of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, whom Russia accuses of espionage. The United States has declared him to be "wrongfully detained." Many Western journalists stationed in Moscow left the country after Russia sent troops into Ukraine. Russia currently requires foreign journalists to renew their visas and accreditation every three months, compared to once a year before the fighting began.