DISINFO: US sanctions on Russian media are motivated by its success
SUMMARY
The US sanctions on RT and Russia Today were motivated by two factors: the success of their projects, with nearly 14 billion views last year, surpassing competitors like BBC and CNN, and the need to distract from the upcoming US elections by focusing on Russia.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about sanctions, falsely alleging discrimination against Kremlin and other Russian state-controlled outlets in western countries.
RT, Sputnik, and a myriad of other Russian state-owned or -aligned outlets have been exposed over the last decade as instruments of spreading disinformation and pro-Kremlin propaganda. (see for example here, here, or here. For an extensive list of a wide range of studies, articles and reports relating to the spread of pro-Kremlin disinformation, see Studies and Reports section on EUvsDisinfo).
This claim was made in the context of a statement by James Rubin, U.S. Special Envoy and Coordinator for the Global Engagement Center, that RT is “engaged in covert influence activities aimed at undermining American elections and democracy” and “functioning like a de facto arm of Russia's intelligence apparatus.”
On 16 September 2024, Facebook owner META announced it was banning RT, Rossiya Segodnya and other Russian state media networks, alleging "the outlets used deceptive tactics to carry out influence operations while evading detection on the social media company’s platforms."
Following Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU suspended the broadcasting activities and licenses of multiple Russian disinformation outlets under the permanent direct or indirect control of the authorities of the Russian Federation that were complicit in supporting policies that undermine sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. These measures are proportionate, temporary (for the duration of the armed aggression) and limited in scope.
Accusations of censorship and attacks against freedom of expression are a recurring pro-Kremlin technique to defend the illicit actions of Russia’s state-sponsored disinformation outlets after Western authorities adopted measures against them. Claims of “interference” or distraction are also frequently raised to deflect any criticism of Russian authorities by international media.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Washington and Brussels implement an information war against the people of Russia and Belarus, that RT and Sputnik are repeatedly accused without evidence and that Western media suppress all facts and opinions that differ from official narratives.
See here for further debunking by POLYGRAPH.info.