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In keeping with the US State Division, Russia’s RT community is “greater than only a media outlet” and has cyber capabilities.
The US has imposed new sanctions on Russian state-run media RT, accusing the community of participating in covert “affect and intelligence operations” around the globe and procuring weapons for the Russian army.
In a proposition On Friday, the US State Division mentioned RT – previously generally known as Russia As we speak – “has gone past only a media outlet and has turn out to be an entity with cyber capabilities”.
“It additionally engages in data operations, covert affect and army procurement. These operations goal nations around the globe, together with Europe, Africa and the Americas.”
Washington additionally alleged that a web-based crowdfunding platform lively inside RT and on social media supplied “materials assist and weapons” to Russian army models in Ukraine.
In keeping with the State Division, the weapons embrace sniper rifles, bulletproof vests, drones and different gear.
Friday’s announcement comes as US-Russian relations have been strained for years over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The administration of US President Joe Biden, a staunch critic of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, has imposed a collection of sanctions on Russian people and corporations because the battle started in 2022.
US officers additionally accuse Russia of meddling in elections.
Final week, the U.S. Division of Justice introduced a collection of measures to counter Russian interference within the November election, together with legal expenses in opposition to two RT workers accused of taking part in a Moscow-directed affect operation.
Talking to reporters concerning the sanctions on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned the Russian state media “needs its new covert intelligence capabilities, like its long-standing propaganda-disinformation efforts, to stay hidden.”
“Our strongest antidote to Russia’s lies is the reality,” Blinken mentioned. “It shines a vivid mild on what the Kremlin is attempting to do beneath the guise of darkness.”
RT has arrange web sites posing as professional information websites to unfold disinformation and propaganda in Europe, Africa, South America and elsewhere, officers mentioned.
They claimed that the outlet additionally expanded its cyber operations final yr with a brand new unit with ties to Russian intelligence.
The Russian embassy in Washington DC didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Reuters information company.
When requested for remark by CNN, the US information outlet mentioned that RT “responded with a mocking e mail that mentioned, partly, ‘We’ve been broadcasting reside from KGB headquarters your complete time.’”
US accuses RT of ‘labeled’ intelligence actions, imposes new sanctions | Political Information
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