US accuses RT of ‘covert’ intelligence activities, issues fresh sanctions

The US State Department says Russia’s RT web has ‘moved beyond being a media outlet’ and has cyber-capabilities.

The United States has issued caller sanctions against Russia’s authorities media outlet RT, accusing the tv web of taking portion successful covert “influence and quality operations” astir the satellite and weapons procurement for the Russian military.

In a statement connected Friday, the US State Department said RT — antecedently known arsenic Russia Today — had “moved beyond being simply a media outlet and has been an entity with cyber capabilities”.

“It is besides engaged successful accusation operations, covert influence, and subject procurement. These operations are targeting countries astir the world, including successful Europe, Africa, and North and South America.”

Washington besides alleged that an online crowdfunding level operating within RT and connected societal media provided “material enactment and weaponry” to Russian subject units successful Ukraine.

The arms see sniper rifles, assemblage armour, drones and different equipment, the State Department said.

Friday’s announcement comes amid years of strained relations betwixt the US and Russia over the latter’s penetration of Ukraine.

The medication of US President Joe Biden — a staunch professional of his Russia counterpart, Vladimir Putin — has issued waves of sanctions against Russian individuals and companies since the warfare began successful 2022.

American officials besides person accused Russia of interfering successful elections.

Last week, the US Justice Department announced a scope of actions to antagonistic Russian efforts to meddle successful November’s vote, including transgression charges against 2 RT employees it accused of taking portion successful a Moscow-directed power operation.

Speaking to reporters astir Friday’s sanctions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Russian authorities media outlet “wants its caller covert quality capabilities, similar its longstanding propaganda disinformation efforts, to stay hidden”.

“Our astir almighty antidote to Russia’s lies is the truth,” Blinken said. “It’s shining a agleam airy connected what the Kremlin is trying to bash nether the screen of darkness.”

RT has created websites posing arsenic morganatic quality sites to dispersed disinformation and propaganda successful Europe, Africa, South America and elsewhere, officials said.

They alleged the outlet besides expanded its usage of cyber-operations with a caller portion with ties to Russian quality created past year.

Russia’s embassy successful Washington, DC, did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from the Reuters quality agency.

Asked for remark by CNN, the US quality outlet said RT “responded with a mocking email that work successful part: ‘We’ve been broadcasting consecutive retired of the KGB office each this time.'”

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies