The U.S. Sanctions Russian State Media for Covert Fundraising Operations for Moscow Soldiers in the Ukraine War

On Friday, September 23, the U.S. State Department announced new sanctions against 'Russia Today' (RT), the state media outlet of Russia. The U.S. has accused this Kremlin-based news agency of collaborating with the Russian military and organizing fundraising campaigns aimed at covering the costs of equipment for soldiers fighting in Ukraine. The 'Russia Today' network had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. for its activities related to Kremlin propaganda and misinformation, but the allegations raised on Friday, September 23, indicate that the role of this media outlet goes far beyond that. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the 'RT' network is a significant part of Russia's war machine and Kremlin's efforts to undermine its democratic allies. U.S. officials claim that 'RT' has also launched sites that operate under the guise of legitimate news websites to disseminate misinformation and propaganda in Europe, Africa, and other regions. They say that this media outlet has expanded its cyber operations through a new unit linked to Russian intelligence, established last year. Mr. Blinken said on Friday, 'RT wants its new covert intelligence capabilities, like its long-standing efforts in spreading misinformation, to remain hidden.' The U.S. Secretary of State added, 'Our strongest antidote to Russian lies is the truth.' On September 15, the U.S. charged two employees of the state network 'RT' with money laundering for conspiring to hire an American company to produce online content aimed at influencing the 2024 presidential election. According to Reuters, citing U.S. Justice Department officials, these two employees used shell companies and fake identities to pay $10 million to a company in Tennessee to produce online videos aimed at exacerbating political divisions in the United States. The U.S. Treasury and State Departments also announced actions against the RT news network, including its chief editor, Margarita Simonyan. The money laundering charges against the two 'Russia Today' employees are due to their efforts to influence U.S. elections.