MOSCOW, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The decision by a British bank towithdraw services from Kremlin-backed Russian broadcaster RT"reeked of" the BBC, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman saidon Friday, days after warning Russia may retaliate over the row.
RT said on Monday that NatWest, owned by Royal Bank ofScotland Group (RBS), was withdrawing its banking services fromthe channel's British arm. RT and Russian diplomats accused thebank of attacking freedom of speech.
Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, toldreporters on Tuesday that Moscow would retaliate in kind ifnecessary. That prompted speculation a Britishmedia organisation operating in Russia could encounter problems.
Zakharova wrote on Friday in a post on social media that thescandal was starting to "reek of" the BBC, pointing out that thecorporation's Russian service had run what she dismissed as anempty investigation into RT's UK activities.
"Why did they do this?" she wrote. "So that a nasty tastestayed behind."
"I wish the BBC Russian service luck. They will need it now,because digging stuff up can be a diverting and unpredictablebusiness."
Three pro-Kremlin senators in the upper house of parliamenthave already urged Russian authorities to hit back by closingthe BBC's bank accounts in Russia, the RIA news agency reportedon Monday.
RBS, which is owned by the British state, has said it isreviewing the situation and will contact RT to discuss thematter further. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Christian Lowe)