US cuts off Radio Free Europe's Russia broadcaster
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The head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has confirmed that the United States has shut down its Russian broadcaster.
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The logo of Radio Free Europe is seen on the facade of a building
The head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) stated on Thursday that the US government had shut down a satellite that broadcast its Russian-language programs into Russia.
RFE/RL, headquartered in Prague, was founded during the Cold War to counter Soviet propaganda and is funded by the US government. However, it has recently faced tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration, which decided in mid-March to freeze its funding as part of efforts to cut federal spending.
Although RFE/RL challenged this decision in court and obtained a temporary restraining order, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees its operations, has yet to release the funds.
"We came into work today and saw that satellite services that reach into Russia had been turned off by USAGM," RFE/RL chief executive Stephen Capus told AFP.
The shutdown affects the Russian-language television network Current Time, which broadcasts 24/7 to Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and other areas.
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"USAGM notified RFE/RL that satellite contracts carrying Current Time to Europe were terminated," Capus added.
Capus noted that Russian viewers were now seeing a red screen with a message stating, "We regret to inform you that US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has decided to terminate the distribution of Current Time."
RFE/RL currently reaches nearly 50 million people in authoritarian-ruled nations such as Belarus, China, Iran, and Russia, working to counter state-run narratives.
Capus emphasized that the organization still has other methods to reach Russian audiences but highlighted that "this wasn't the Russian government taking such an action. This was ordered by the USAGM."
On Tuesday, RFE/RL placed a large number of employees on reduced-pay leave while waiting for USAGM to release $77 million needed to sustain operations through October.
Trump has frequently clashed with media organizations he perceives as disloyal, and Capus suggested that the administration was actively trying to shut down RFE/RL.
"I don't think there's any question that the Trump administration would like to see us shut down. I think that's pretty clear," Capus said.
Read more: EU weighs funding for Radio Free Europe after US withdrawal
