WASHINGTON, United States (AXADLE) – America’s Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has rolled out new sanctions against the Russian media conglomerate RT, accusing it of operating as “an extension of Russia’s spy network.”
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RT, short for Russia Today, is a state-financed Russian TV channel.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Blinken asserted that RT is part of a larger ecosystem of Kremlin-sponsored media aiming to “subvert American democracy.”
The US State Department alleged that RT, formerly dubbed Russia Today, is involved in “covert operations, espionage, and military supply routes” across continents including Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Blinken claimed the Russian government has plugged a cyber-unit within RT, tied to Russian intelligence. RT streamed Blinken’s speech live on X (known previously as Twitter), mocking the claims as the “US’s latest conspiracy plot.”
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry rep, Maria Zakharova, jestingly proposed the US invent a new job title: a specialist in anti-Russian sanctions.
RT’s chief editor, Margarita Simonyan, recently sanctioned by the US, shot back, noting many RT employees were educated and funded by the US, quipping that America had been “top-notch mentors.”
Blinken accused RT of organizing online fundraisers to provide Russian troops in Ukraine with armor, sniper rifles, drones, and more.
He also claimed RT aims to influence Moldova’s upcoming presidential elections, in collaboration with Russian intelligence.
Previously, two RT staffers were indicted for allegedly meddling in this year’s US presidential election. On Friday, US officials revealed RT’s broader role in Russia’s agenda to destabilize democracies globally.
RT dismissed the accusations, retorting, “2016 called; it wants its clichés back,” adding, “death, taxes, and RT’s meddling in US elections” are constants in life.
Blinken clarified that the sanctions target RT’s covert actions, not its journalistic efforts, which he remarked are “not journalism.”
The State Department has officially designated RT as a foreign mission, signifying a step-up in the US’s measures against Russian state media as the 2024 election looms.
