Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks throughout a information convention about Russia’s election interference on the Division of State in Washington on Friday.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
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Jose Luis Magana/AP
WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Division introduced new sanctions on Russian state media Friday, accusing a Kremlin information outlet of working hand-in-hand with the Russian army and operating fundraising campaigns to pay for sniper rifles, physique armor and different gear for troopers preventing in Ukraine.
Whereas the outlet, RT, has beforehand been sanctioned for its work to unfold Kremlin propaganda and disinformation, the brand new allegations recommend its position goes far past affect operations. As a substitute, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, RT is a key a part of Russia’s warfare machine and its efforts to undermine its democratic adversaries.
“RT desires its new covert intelligence capabilities, like its longstanding propaganda disinformation efforts, to stay hidden,” Blinken informed reporters. “Our strongest antidote to Russia’s lies is the reality. It’s shining a vibrant gentle on what the Kremlin is making an attempt to do beneath the duvet of darkness.”
RT has additionally created web sites posing as reliable information websites to unfold disinformation and propaganda in Europe, Africa, South America and elsewhere, officers stated. They are saying the outlet has additionally expanded its use of cyber operations with a brand new unit with ties to Russian intelligence created final yr.
The group-sourcing effort ran on Russian social media platforms and sought to boost funds for army provides, a few of which have been procured in China, officers stated. There have been no apparent connections between RT and the fundraising marketing campaign, or any indication that Chinese language officers knew their merchandise have been being bought to Russia.
The listing of provides additionally included night-vision gear, drones, radios and turbines.
RT’s actions present “it is not only a firehouse of disinformation, however a fully-fledged member of the intelligence equipment and operation of the Russian authorities,” stated Jamie Rubin, who heads the State Division’s World Engagement Middle.
President Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed The Related Press that the allegations have been “nonsense.” RT is “media” and “fairly efficient,” Peskov stated.
The sanctions introduced Friday goal RT’s mother or father group, TV-Novosti, in addition to a associated state media group known as Rossiya Segodnya and its normal director Dmitry Kiselyov. A 3rd group and its chief, Nelli Parutenko, have been additionally sanctioned for allegedly operating a vote-buying scheme in Moldova designed to assist Moscow’s most well-liked candidates in an upcoming election.
Russia’s Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova prompt the sanctions towards RT have been pointless as a result of it has already been sanctioned.
“I feel a brand new occupation ought to seem in america — a specialist in sanctions already imposed towards Russia,” she wrote on her Telegram channel.
Russia’s world propaganda work is receiving further scrutiny within the months main as much as the U.S. election. Final week, the Biden administration seized Kremlin-run web sites and charged two RT staff with covertly paying a Tennessee firm practically $10 million for its content material.
The corporate then paid a number of well-liked far-right influencers, whose content material usually mirrored Russian speaking factors. Two of the influencers stated they’d no concept their work was being supported by Russia.
This summer time, intelligence officers warned that Russia was utilizing unwitting Individuals to unfold its propaganda by disguising it in English on websites well-liked with Individuals. Officers say Russia seeks to divide Individuals forward of the election as a means of lowering help for Ukraine.
Russia’s affect operations additionally seem designed to help former President Donald Trump, who has criticized Ukraine and the NATO alliance whereas praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.
