International television news channel CNN is pulling out of Russia, amid worsening relations between Moscow and Washington.

The channel, which was launched in 1980 and has been broadcasting in Russia since 1993, has confirmed it will cease broadcasting in Russia at the end of the year.

"Turner International is assessing its distribution options for CNN in Russia in light of recent changes in Russian media legislation," the channel said in a statement issued to US and Russian media.

"We are bringing our existing distribution relationships to an end while we do that," the statement said.

In 2010, Russia's government passed laws limiting foreign ownership of mass media to 50 per cent; earlier this year, those laws were tightened, restricting foreign ownership of mass media to 20 per cent.

The decision by CNN comes as relations between Moscow and the West grow frosty following Russia's annexation of the eastern Ukrainian region of Crimea earlier this year. Since then, Russia-backed rebels have fought to pry away sections of eastern Ukraine from Kiev's control, military action that has seen the US, Europe, Canada and Australia place sanctions on Russia in retaliation.

CNN's statement noted that the network's Moscow bureau is unaffected and will remain open.

A number of media outlets, including the BBC's Russian service, Deutsche Welle and Radio France Internationale, have already ceased operations.

Russia's government has also passed a law, which takes effect on January 1, 2015, banning advertising on subscription television channels.

CNN International is carried in Russia by a number of pay TV services, including Akado Telecom and VimpelCom. Both have confirmed that CNN's parent company, Turner International, has advised them the service would be phased out by the end of this year.

A spokesperson for CNN said the channel hoped to return to Russia.

"We hope to re-enter the market in due course, and will notify our partners of any update about resuming these services," the spokesman said.

The announcement by the American network comes as Russia unveiled Sputnik, a new outlet to bolster the nation's global image battered by the geopolitical tensions over eastern Europe.