Youtube has blocked the German-language channels of the state-owned Russian propaganda broadcaster “RT”.
(Photo: imago / ITAR-TASS)
It’s bad when your own propaganda clouds your brain. For years the Kremlin has repeatedly maintained that Russia has free media and fair elections, knowing full well about the repressive reality.
Moscow is now accusing the German government of having ensured that YouTube blocked the German-language channels of the Russian state propaganda broadcaster “RT”. In other words, I did exactly what the Kremlin, in truth and despite all its own claims, is constantly doing: interfering in the media landscape.
It is outrageous and shows the complete seclusion of the Russian leadership around President Vladimir Putin when the Russian Foreign Ministry speaks of an “Operation Barbarossa” in connection with the YouTube deletion.
That was the code name under which Hitler’s Germany attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 was planned. It is as outrageous as it is insane. It is revanchist historical oblivion, of all places, in a country that rightly always upholds the memory of the “Great Patriotic War”, the Second World War.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
The Kremlin has since lost all measure. Also with his conspiracy theories against the federal government: You have urged YouTube to block RT and are conducting an “unprecedented information campaign” against Russia.
And these allegations come from the country that all 27 EU states accuse of interfering with massive cyberattacks in the domestic politics of these countries, of engaging in electronic espionage and of all critical media with the label “foreign agent” to bring all advertising income or the same to shut down.
RT does not allow opposition members to have their say
The opposite of Moscow’s claims is correct: Germany endured RT’s propaganda reporting for a very long time. Under no circumstances should RT be equated with German TV channels such as ARD and ZDF. One can criticize the public broadcasters for a lot, but not for one thing: They broadcast pluralistic representatives of all relevant parties. RT and other Russian state media do not allow opposition members to have their say.
But if Moscow should expel correspondents from Deutscher Welle, ARD or ZDF, Germany will have to decide whether it will shut down RT in this country and expel representatives of Russian media. It would be obvious and justifiable. But sometimes size can also be demonstrated differently.
More: Youtube blocks RT Deutsch – Russia threatens German media with retaliation