The United States has escalated its media war with Russia by imposing new sanctions on RT (Russia Today) and other state-funded media organizations. Washington’s justification for the move goes beyond traditional accusations of propaganda. In a striking development, the U.S. has claimed RT is linked to Russian military procurement efforts, helping soldiers in Ukraine acquire critical equipment through crowdfunding platforms.

RT, founded in 2005, has always been seen as an arm of Moscow’s global information strategy. However, the new allegations suggest that RT’s role extends into covert cyber operations and military support. Despite skepticism from some U.S. media outlets regarding these allegations, Washington remains resolute in its decision, enacting further measures to track RT journalists and their properties within U.S. borders.

Moscow’s reaction has been predictably dismissive, with Russia’s Foreign Ministry criticizing Washington’s relentless sanctions campaign. RT itself has faced sanctions before, with its subsidiary, RT America, shutting down in 2020. The U.S. is also pressuring other countries, including India, to ban RT, though India has rejected these requests, maintaining its neutral stance as a trusted Russian partner.