RT is ‘ahead of the times’ – Zakharova

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman wished the network a happy 19th birthday

RT is a recognized leader in the global media space and has successfully defied Western censorship to set a standard of quality journalism, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said, wishing the outlet a happy 19th anniversary.

Launched as ‘Russia Today’ on December 10, 2005, RT has since established portals and TV channels in English, Arabic, French, German, Spanish and Serbian, as well as in Russian.

“RT is one of the recognized leaders in the media sphere both in our country and abroad,” Zakharova said at a Foreign Ministry press briefing on Wednesday.

The channel “has demonstrated what quality modern journalism looks like,” Zakharova added, noting that RT has managed to preserve tradition while adapting and overcoming the “toxic environment” created for it in the West.

“RT is not just keeping pace with the times, I think it’s ahead of the times,” she added.

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Zakharova noted that Western governments have targeted RT with more than 110 sanctions, blocked its bank accounts, spied on and harassed its employees, and put many other kinds of pressure on the outlet, in an effort to limit its reach. Yet RT’s popularity around the world has only grown.

The network has accepted the challenge and proceeded to set trends and standards around the world, Zakharova said, praising its staff for a professional approach to international affairs and all other subjects.

RT was falsely accused of “meddling” in the 2016 US presidential election and forced to register as a foreign agent. The German government violated an international broadcasting treaty to shut down RT Deutsch in late 2021, before it could begin TV broadcasts.

RT France and RT UK were forced to shut down in 2022, after US allies banned all Russian media outlets. In September, the US government in Washington claimed RT was operating on behalf of Russian intelligence and sanctioned the network and its leadership.