The Kremlin has blocked access to Facebook in Russia.

The Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor said it took the decision due to the platform’s restrictions on Russian state media.

Nick Clegg, the President of Global Affairs for Facebook parent company Meta, said the company would work to restore Facebook services in Russia.

“Soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information,” he said. “Deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced from speaking out.”

“We will continue to do everything we can to restore our services so they remain available to people to safely and securely express themselves and organise for action.”

On the Russian government's decision to block access to Facebook in the Russian Federation: pic.twitter.com/JlJwIu1t9K

— Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) March 4, 2022

Facebook this week said it had restricted access to Russian websites RT and Sputnik across the European Union.

Facebook is also blocking access to the Russian state websites in the UK after Westminster culture Secretary Nadine Dorries wrote to the company and it urged it to apply the same approach it was taking in the EU to the UK.

Roskomnadzor said Facebook had discriminated against Russia 26 times since October 2020 – restricting access to state channel RT and the RIA news agency.

Additional reporting from IRN