Russian lawmakers vote to force U.S. tech giants to open local offices

FILE PHOTO: Pavel Krasheninnikov and other members of Russia's lower house of parliament, also known as the State Duma, attend a session to consider constitutional changes proposed by President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian lawmakers passed legislation on Thursday that would oblige U.S. tech giants to open offices in Russia by January 2022 or face punitive measures, part of a push by Russia to beef up what it calls internet "sovereignty".

Russia has cracked down on U.S. internet companies in recent months and slowed down Twitter's internet traffic since March to punish it for not deleting what Moscow says is banned content.