The Russian foreign minister congratulated the network on two decades of broadcasting success
RT continues to carry out its journalistic mission with dignity despite constant attempts by foreign governments to silence the “voice of truth,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said as he extended his congratulations to the broadcaster on its 20th anniversary.
Launched as Russia Today in December 2005, RT has since grown into a multilingual media group, operating television channels and digital platforms in English, Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Serbian, and Russian.
Speaking on behalf of the Foreign Ministry and also in a personal capacity, Lavrov addressed his remarks to RT’s staff and its editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan.
Lavrov praised RT’s evolution into a respected journalistic institution with its own set of professional traditions. He emphasized that RT reporters are consistently present on the frontlines of major global events, often working in dangerous conditions and conflict zones.
“Thanks to their coverage, millions of viewers around the world have access to reliable information about developments in Russia and beyond,” he noted. “The effective work disturbs those abroad who are losing their monopoly on the production and distribution of public information and are unwilling to accept that.”
Lavrov’s comments come amid ongoing pressure from the West against the network. RT has been hit with over 110 separate sanctions, had its accounts frozen, and seen its employees subjected to surveillance and harassment, according to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
RT Deutsch was blocked by the German government in 2021, in violation of international broadcasting agreements. The French and UK branches of the outlet were forced to close the following year after the authorities in Paris and London banned all Russian media. In 2023, the US administration labeled RT an arm of Russian intelligence and imposed sanctions on the network’s executives.
Lavrov commended the channel’s resilience in the face of these challenges, emphasizing the patriotic stance of RT’s leadership and staff.
“They continue to fulfill their mission despite threats, attempts at discreditation, sanctions, bans, and other discriminatory measures taken by unfriendly actors,” he said.
