MOSCOW, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Russia's communications

watchdog Roskomnadzor said on Friday it had blocked access to

the Viber messaging app, the latest in a line of social media

services to be banned by Russian authorities.

In a statement, Roskomnadzor said the block was related to a

violation of rules concerning the prevention of terrorism,

extremism, and drug dealing.

Rakuten Group ( RKUNF ), which owns Viber, did not

immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hiroshi Mikitani, the founder and chief executive of Rakuten

Group ( RKUNF ) had touted the messenging app as a way to counter what he

called Russian propaganda.

"Unlike other social media, we've made it crystal clear

we're going to block all these fake news and propaganda of

Russia," Mikitani told Reuters in a Zoom interview during a

visit to Kyiv last year.

(Writing by Felix Light, Editing by Louise Heavens and

Christina Fincher)