Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS) is one of six organisations and nine individuals included on an EU list accused of destabilising actions abroad.
The European Council of the European Union says RTRS plays a key role in effectively replacing established Ukrainian broadcasting systems in occupied regions, with a network that transmits content approved by the Russian Government with the aim of suppressing dissent, aligning the local population with Russian policies and delegitimising Ukraine’s governance in the occupied territories.
Its General Director and the Director of the Department for Coordination of Communications Infrastructure Development in New Territories are also included on the list.
Within a short space of time areas of occupied Ukraine have seen their terrestrial channels replaced by multiplexes controlled by Russia.
However, the Diderot Committee criticised EU sanctions, saying they did not go far enough.
“RTRS plays a key role in effectively replacing legacy Ukrainian broadcasting systems in occupied regions with a network that transmits content approved by the Government of the Russian Federation intended to suppress dissent, to align the local population with Russian policies and to delegitimise Ukraine’s governance in the occupied territories. This directly undermines the ability of local populations to access diverse and independent information,” the committee said in a statement.
While welcoming the sanctions on RTRS it questioned why satellite operator RSCC, which does the same thing, was not included. It said that pay-TV platforms NTV Plus and JSC National Satellite (Trikolor) should also be on the sanctions list. “These three companies contribute to the transmission and distribution of propaganda channels not only to Russia itself but also to the illegally occupied and annexed territories of Ukraine,” said Diderot.
