US Sanctions Force Russian State Radio Sputnik Off the Air in America

Russian state radio network Radio Sputnik has ceased its broadcasts in the United States, a move attributed to the imposition of new US government sanctions. According to reports, the sanctions targeted Russia-backed broadcast outlets, including Sputnik’s parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, a Russian government media agency.

The sanctions made it difficult for Sputnik to continue leasing time on radio stations in Washington and Kansas City, where its programming was aired. The US State Department had accused Rossiya Segodnya of engaging in “covert influence activities” and had previously designated Sputnik and Rossiya Segodnya as “foreign missions”.

The closure of Sputnik in the US follows years of criticism, particularly for carrying content deemed antisemitic and for spreading false information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. US government broadcaster Voice of America noted that Sputnik’s local radio station, WZHF, had been criticized for these issues, although specific evidence of antisemitism was not provided.

Communications lawyer Arthur Belendiuk, who has been advocating for the shutdown of Sputnik through the Federal Communications Commission, argued that the network was in violation of commission rules for broadcasting “paid Russian state propaganda.” However, a former Sputnik host countered that the network gave him significant freedom to discuss various topics without government interference.

This development is part of a broader context where US sanctions have impacted Russian media outlets. Previously, RT America had also shut down its operations in the US after DirecTV stopped carrying its programming due to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.