As part of new obligations in Russia, the U.S. streaming giant is facing the prospect of being forced to broadcast Kremlin propaganda from as early as next week.
The move comes as fears increase in the West over how Moscow is using the media to sow confusion.
Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, added the video streaming service to a register of audiovisual services last year, and it will fall under a number of new obligations on March 1.
The requirements to broadcast streams of 20 Russian federal television stations are included in the register, which applies to streaming services available to the Russian market with at least 100,000 daily users. According to the Moscow Times, Channel One, NTV and a channel run by the Russian Orthodox Church are included.
Russia's Channel One is closely linked to the Kremlin, with some of Putin's most intimate political allies on the board.
This includes the likes of Putin's top spy Chief Sergey Naryshkin and his first deputy. Gromov's responsibilities include overseeing the production of state propaganda and Moscow's broad program of censorship. He was previously Putin's press secretary.
The new broadcast requirements only apply to the services in Russia, where it has an estimated subscriber base of close to 1 million.
When POLITICO asked if they would comply with the new rules, they did not reply. Experts say that the U.S streaming giant is unlikely to withdraw from the Russian market due to commercial interests.
Catalina Iordache said that it seems unlikely that they will reject the new rules and leave.
Hogan Lovells brokered the partnership with NMG that was announced in 2020. The company at the time said the deal would set new standards for foreign streaming services in Russia.
Iordache said that there is still a lot of space to grow, and that Russia is a large subscriber market.
The business in Russia is facing increasing constraints.
The Russian interior ministry confirmed in November last year that it would look into the complaint of the public commissioner for protecting families about the dissemination of gay propaganda on the internet.
If the company is found to be in violation of Russia's laws against the dissemination of non-traditional sexual relations, it could face fines or a suspension of its service.
In the past, the Russian administration has claimed that the streaming service represents an instrument of U.S. policy. The White House understands how to enter every home through Netflix, according to a former Culture Minister.
There is the possibility of other Western streaming services coming under the scope of the country's broadcasting obligations in the future.
Amazon Prime Video is available in Russia, but is unlikely to meet the required thresholds in terms of subscriber numbers to register as an audiovisual service. When asked about its future in Russia, Amazon did not reply.
The Russian streaming service Amediateka has provided an exclusive platform for HBO productions since the year 2021. Disney Plus is not available in Russia.
Other authoritarian countries have deterred the streaming giant from entering local markets despite the anticipated reticence of the company to abandon the Russian market. In China, North Korea, and Syria, the service is unavailable.
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