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RT (symbolic picture): Russian state media are already banned in the EU
Photo: Jaap Arriens / ZUMA Press / IMAGO
The US program of the Russian state medium RT is ceasing its operations in the United States.
The deputy editor-in-chief of the news channel, Anna Belkina, said according to information from the dpa news agency and the US broadcaster CNN: "We are sad and disappointed that our groundbreaking broadcaster RT America had to stop operations after more than ten years."
The company T&R Productions, which provided most of the content, had to stop most of its activities due to “difficult external circumstances”.
According to CNN, most employees of RT America will be fired as a result.
The US broadcaster relies on statements by Misha Solodovnikov, Managing Director of T&R Productions.
However, the station is working to find ways for employees to stay in RT's international family, Belkina said.
Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the West has imposed tough sanctions on Russia, which also affect the media sector.
The distribution of the Russian state media RT and Sputnik has been banned in the EU since Wednesday.
RT offshoots in German or French, for example, are also affected.
The sanctions against RT and Sputnik should be temporary and only last "until the aggression against Ukraine has ended and the Russian Federation and its media have stopped their propaganda actions against the Union and its member states," said an EU official.
In addition, many companies are cutting deals with Russia of their own accord, including in the media industry.
A few years ago, the American satellite TV provider DirecTV, among others, announced that it was ending its cooperation with RT America.
ime/dpa
