EU bans RT and Sputnik

The EU put the ban on the two Russian propaganda channels into effect. They played a “central role in the aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said.

On Wednesday, the European Union implemented the previously decided ban on the Russian propaganda channels RT and Sputnik with immediate effect. At TV channel RT, formerly Russia Today, the ban includes five legally independent organizations that broadcast the program in English, German, French and Spanish. Sputnik is a radio station and news channel that distributes its programming over the Internet. “These media outlets play a key and instrumental role in planning and supporting aggression against Ukraine and in destabilizing neighboring countries,” an EU official said. The ban will apply until the aggression is ended and Russia ends its propaganda activities against the EU and its member states.

All providers who distribute offers from RT and Sputnik must now stop this. The national media regulator in the EU member states is responsible for implementation. It is also up to her to impose penalties if the ban is not complied with. “This is now illegal content that will be treated like other illegal content, child pornography and terrorism,” the official said. Apple announced it would remove RT and Sputnik from its AppStore in all markets outside of Russia. Microsoft and Google had previously decided this for their app offerings. From the EU side, it was said that satellite providers who are geared towards Europe should no longer broadcast RT.

<h3>”Against the Whole Western World”</h3>

As another EU official explained, the television channel RT and the Internet provider Sputnik are not considered classic media: “They are actually more like tools in the Kremlin’s disinformation offer.” RT is on an official list of strategically important organizations, Sputnik is by decree created by the Russian President. The state budget for this type of offer was 1.3 billion euros in 2021.

He also referred to an interview with RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan that appeared in the Kommersant newspaper in 2012. Simonyan is now on an EU sanctions list. When asked why the channel was tax-funded, Simonyan replied that the Ministry of Defense fought in the 2008 war against Georgia, “but we denied the information war, against the entire western world. You cannot create such a weapon after the war has already begun.”