Russia says RT sanctions part of U.S. pre-election 'information campaign'

U.S. sanctions RT employees for election interference, Russia plans harsh response amid media crackdown.

Russia said on Thursday (September 5, 2024) that new U.S. sanctions on its state-funded media RT were part of an "information campaign" ahead of November presidential elections, saying it was working on a response.

The U.S. on Wednesday indicted two RT employees and slapped its top editors with sanctions, accusing them of trying to influence the upcoming election.

The 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department included RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan and her deputy Elizaveta Brodskaia.

"It is an obvious operation, an information campaign... that was long prepared and that is needed ahead of the last stage of the electoral cycle," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told state news agency RIA Novosti.

She added that "of course, [a response] is being prepared", warning that it will be harsh and that it will make "everyone shudder."

Most of U.S. media have downsized or pulled out their staff from Russia after Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, which was accompanied at home with a massive crackdown on dissent.

The U.S. also indicted two Russia-based RT employees, accusing them of funnelling $10 million to a Tennessee-based company that used social media influence to "create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging."