Moscow, September 28, 2024 – The Europe Today: German authorities have apprehended a couple suspected of illegally providing access to RT and other Russian television channels over the internet, in violation of European Union (EU) sanctions. The bloc imposed a ban on nearly all Russian media in March 2022, citing concerns over their impact on democracy amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to the German customs service (Zoll), the suspects include a 37-year-old German national and his 42-year-old wife, who holds Ukrainian citizenship. The couple allegedly operated an IPTV service offering several sanctioned Russian channels since early 2022.
Police conducted a raid on the couple’s residence in Karlsruhe on Thursday, uncovering extensive technical equipment, written documentation, and approximately €40,000 ($44,686) in cash, all of which were confiscated.
The German customs service indicated that the couple’s service likely included well-known channels such as “Rossiya 1” and “Russia Today.” Following the investigation, the District Court in Karlsruhe issued an asset seizure order for around €120,000 ($134,000) in alleged illegal income derived from their activities.
While neither suspect has been publicly identified, they could face a minimum of one year in prison if convicted under the Foreign Trade Act. The investigation remains ongoing, conducted by the customs inspectorate in Stuttgart, which may pursue additional charges.
Earlier this month, the United States also imposed sanctions on RT, characterizing the channel as functioning as a “de facto arm” of Russian intelligence. US State Department official Jamie Rubin attributed the failure of global support for Ukraine in part to RT’s reporting.
In response, Margarita Simonyan, RT’s editor-in-chief, remarked on the challenges of circumventing sanctions, stating, “We find ways to bypass these sanctions. This is sort of a game of cat and mouse. And it will continue.” Furthermore, RT projected a message on the facade of the US embassy in Moscow this week, asserting, “We’re not going anywhere.”
