The BBC was forced to temporarily suspend its operations in Russia citing fears of criminal prosecution of its staff after a law was passed which threatened jail time for anyone authorities deemed to have spread “fake” news about the country’s armed forces. BBC Director-General Tim Davie said the legislation “appears to criminalise the process of independent journalism”. The decision to leave the country came after Russia’s internet and media regulator Roskomnadzor blocked access to the BBC’s news website. The state internet and media regulator Roskomnadzor said in a statement: “Access has been restricted to a host of information resources owned by foreigners. The grounds for restricting access to these information resources on the territory of the Russian Federation was their deliberate and systematic circulation of materials containing false information.” The BBC pledged to continue providing factual and independent reporting to the people of Russia.