Russian news site to close over ‘foreign agent’ designation

VTimes, one of country's last remaining independent media outlets, to shut this month

A Russian business newspaper targeted as a foreign agent has said it is shutting down because of fears its journalists could be prosecuted, writing that the Russian government does not need professional and uncontrolled media".

VTimes, founded by reporters fleeing censorship in Russia's business media, said it would close down three weeks after it was put on a list of foreign agents that critics have called a death sentence for independent media outlets.