Ukraine has sent a letter to the Council of Europe, presenting the official position regarding blocking Russian websites, such as Yandex, Mail.ru, Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki and the introduction of economic sanctions against companies from Russia.

"The aggression of the Russian Federation and challenges Ukraine is facing concerning the territorial integrity require appropriate measures in response. Such resources as Yandex, Mail.ru, Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki have long been used by Russian intelligence agencies as tools of the so called hybrid warfare," reads the letter of Ukraine posted on the Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists created by the Council of Europe.

According to the document, Russian intelligence agencies private correspondence and other confidential information of the users of Russian Internet resources and use these data to manipulate public opinion by means of disinformation, propaganda and information attacks.

Ukraine also said that given the policy of aggression that the Russian Federation conducts against Ukraine, access of Russian companies to Ukrainian information and telecommunication systems allows for sabotage, intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine by Russian intelligence agencies.

"Therefore, blocking access to certain Russian Internet resources is exclusively the issue of national security and is not aimed at suppressing the freedom of speech in Ukraine… the decision adopted by Ukrainian authorities is the adequate response to the threat to information security of the state and citizens," the letter said.