Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the staff of Russian state propaganda outlet RT included a team of cyber operatives with ties to Moscow’s military intelligence that masterminded a crowdfunding campaign to buy equipment for Russian troops in Ukraine. This information was obtained from RT employees and suggests that RT possessed cyber capabilities and engaged in covert information and influence operations, as well as military procurement. The RT leadership had direct knowledge of this enterprise, which began in the spring of last year. The cyber unit also collected data on RT’s users and sent sensitive information back to Moscow, further implicating the outlet in potentially malicious activities.
In addition to the covert operations run by the cyber unit within RT, Blinken revealed that they were also behind an online fundraising campaign that raised thousands of dollars to purchase military equipment for Russian troops invading Ukraine. The list of equipment included items such as sniper rifles, suppressors, body armor, night vision equipment, drones, radio equipment, personal weapon sites, and diesel generators. This revelation came after RT’s top leadership had been indicted on federal charges of money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent, leading to further punishments being announced by Blinken, including sanctions, visa restrictions, and other measures.
Blinken also announced that the State Department had designated the Russian state-funded and directed media company Rossiya Segodnya and five of its subsidiaries, including RT, under the Foreign Missions Act. This designation requires these actors to notify the State Department of all personnel working in the United States and their property. Furthermore, RT’s influence extended beyond the US, with the outlet playing a role in influencing the Moldovan presidential election. Despite potential claims that RT was being punished for critical journalism, Blinken stated that the outlet was considered a firehose of Russian government propaganda and disinformation, engaging in covert influence activities aimed at undermining American elections and democracies.
State Department officials revealed that they modeled their investigation of RT after the Trump administration’s efforts to expose China’s Huawei technology company for predatory data collection efforts. The investigation continued past the end of Trump’s tenure and into President Biden’s administration, with the department aiming to continue their efforts regarding RT, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. The State Department has taken measures against RT and its leadership based on evidence suggesting that they were involved in covert influence activities, functioning as a de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus. These actions aim to address the threat posed by RT’s activities and to protect American elections and democracies from foreign interference.
