MOSCOW: Russia`s justice ministry has designated The Moscow Times, an English and Russian-language online newspaper, a `foreign agent`, the publication said late on Friday.

The `foreign agent` designation requires media outlets and designated journalists to place a disclaimer on items they publish and imposes strict financial reporting and self-disclosure requirements.

In a statement reported by Russian media, the justice ministry accused the Moscow Times of distributing inaccurate information about decisions taken by the authorities, thereby forming what it called a negative image of Russia.

The Moscow Times said on its website that the `foreign agent` legislation had been `disproportionately used to target independent journalists, activists and NGOs in recent years.

It added: `The (justice) ministry`s foreign agent registry lists the websites of MT`s English and Russianlanguage editions as well as its social media pages, including on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Telegram as subject to restrictions.

The publication`s website had already been blocked inside Russia by state communications regulator Roskomnadzor.-Reuters