US Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Media

Kathmandu | The United States has introduced fresh sanctions on the Russian media outlet RT. Announcing the decision, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described RT as "part of Russia’s intelligence apparatus."

"RT is a component of a network of Russian-backed media outlets that have secretly worked to undermine democracy in the United States," Blinken said during a press briefing on Friday. He further claimed that Russia had embedded units within RT that collaborate with its cyber operations and intelligence services.

RT responded to Blinken’s comments by live-streaming them on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling the remarks part of the "latest American conspiracy." Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova quipped that the US would need a "new job" to specialise in sanctioning Russia.

Last week, RT employees, including its editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, were sanctioned for allegedly attempting to influence the US elections. The US State Department also accused RT (formerly Russia Today) of engaging in "information operations, covert influence, and military procurement" in countries across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Additionally, Blinken claimed that RT had run an online fundraiser to purchase body armour, sniper rifles, drones, and other equipment for Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.