Radio Free Europe and Voice of America were designated by Russia as 'foreign agents', a move aiming to complicate their local work. The Moscow government recently complained about unacceptable US and EU pressure on Russian media. Russia’s broadside against US media is part of the fallout from allegations that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. News outlets have to comply with the same requirements that are applied to foreign-funded NGOs under a 2012 law. 'Foreign agents' must include in all their communication a mention of their designation.