RT
Russian state
Background
Russia Today launched in 2005 as an English-language channel aimed at improving Russia's international image, later rebranding simply as 'RT' in 2009 and expanding into Arabic, Spanish, French, German, and other languages along with a large online and social-media presence. It is legally structured as a Kremlin-funded nonprofit (ANO 'TV-Novosti') and has long been described by Western governments and intelligence agencies as a core instrument of Russian state propaganda and information warfare, rather than independent journalism. Following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and especially after the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western regulators sharply escalated restrictions: the UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom revoked RT's license, and the EU imposed an outright broadcasting and distribution ban across all platforms in March 2022, a ban the EU's top court has since upheld and, as of a July 2026 ruling, extended to cover non-commercial and mirror websites as well. The U.S. Treasury and State Department have separately sanctioned RT executives and designated RT-linked entities as part of Russian state influence operations, including allegations that RT staff helped fund covert disinformation campaigns in the U.S. Despite bans in the EU, UK, and restrictions elsewhere, RT continues broadcasting via satellite, app, and website distribution aimed at audiences in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe that evade the bans. Its reporting is widely assessed by media-literacy and fact-checking organizations as consistently amplifying Kremlin talking points, minimizing Russian military setbacks, and promoting narratives critical of NATO, the EU, and Ukraine's government.
Sources
- EU imposes sanctions on state-owned outlets RT/Russia Today and Sputnik's broadcasting in the EU - Consilium
- EU Court confirms Russia Today broadcast ban covers free public websites
- European court upholds broadcasting ban on Russia's RT
Profile compiled 2026-10-02; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.