US government raises new suspicions about Russian broadcaster RT

The US government has once again confronted the Russian state-run TV station with serious allegations. RT is said to be actively interfering in global affairs, including the war in Ukraine. The US has announced sanctions.

Russian state-run TV station RT has once again caught the attention of the United States, with Washington accusing the network of interfering in “sovereign affairs of nations around the world.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said new intelligence showed RT was engaging in covert intelligence and influence operations with expanded cyber capabilities. The base also cooperates with the Russian military.

Not only Russian propaganda

According to Blinken, these claims also concern the war in Ukraine. He accused RT of conducting covert operations to obtain military equipment for the Russian military. The broadcaster acts as a “direct weapon of the Russian government.” Blinken announced sanctions against RT.

RT has previously been sanctioned for spreading Kremlin propaganda and disinformation. Blinken said Friday that RT’s activities go beyond spreading Russian propaganda. The channel is “an active member of the Russian government’s information and operations in the war in Ukraine.”

Crowdfunding for the Russian military

One project is a massive Russian online crowdfunding program distributed through RT and social media channels to support Russian troops in Ukraine.

According to dpa news agency, Blinken cited the Berlin-based English-language platform “Red” (theread.stream) as another example of the broadcaster’s influence. Despite claims on the company’s website, Red is the successor to the now-defunct RT platform Redfish, according to the U.S. State Department. The broadcaster also attempted to influence elections in the Republic of Moldova.

The US government has already accused Russia of interfering in the upcoming US presidential election in November last week. The US has sanctioned several individuals and entities, including RT’s head.