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West hits Vladimir Putin’s fake news factories with wave of sanctions

UK and US crack down on websites peddling ‘false and misleading’ reports thought to be backed by Russian intelligence

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UK and US crack down on websites peddling ‘false and misleading’ reports thought to be backed by Russian intelligence

Highlights

  • Foreign Office has imposed sanctions on 12 key Russian-backed disinformation outlets.
  • The Foreign Office announced last week that sanctions would be imposed on the Internet Research Agency, the notorious Russian-based troll factory.
  • Government investigators claim Russian intelligence supports international news and analysis websites which promote the Kremlin’s view of the Ukraine invasion.
  • US Treasury has also taken action against at least nine others, five of which have been targeted with sanctions since the Ukraine conflict.
  • The US treasury describes the website as an online journal registered in Russia which is directed by the country’s foreign intelligence service.
  • The Strategic Culture Foundation has cited Russian claims of a “covert project” to turn Ukraine into a nuclear power.