A FCDO spokesperson said:
The UK supports the US in their assessment that RT is not only a state-funded propaganda house, but deliberately working to undermine our collective security on behalf of the Kremlin.
Already a mouthpiece for Russian disinformation, RT has mutated into an altogether more harmful organisation.
US information shows that RT is engaged in information operations and covert influence across the world. These activities strike at the democratic foundations of other countries, using intelligence operations and shadowy networks to incite political violence, and spread dissent across the world. Working in direct cooperation with the Kremlin, RT has sought to influence democratic processes in Moldova and to spread damaging lies designed to inflame tensions.
As part of this cooperation the Russian Government had embedded an entity with cyber operational capabilities and ties to Russian intelligence within RT with the full knowledge of RTs senior leadership.
Alongside its public lies and disinformation RT has also used proxy outlets under the guise of independent media to disseminate false pro-Kremlin narratives.
Together with our international partners we have already taken strong measures to prevent RT from achieving its pernicious objectives, sanctioning its parent company TV Novosti and working to restrict its influence. We will continue to bear down on those who would threaten our collective security and democratic values.
In its control of RT, we see the extent of the Russian state's duplicity: weaponising the media in order to spread lies, threaten global security and further its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We have seen these shoddy attempts to obscure the truth and they have failed.
