Switzerland to Sanction Russian Propaganda Mouthpieces

Switzerland says no to Russian propaganda in the country.

According to the Swiss Economic Ministry, the country is set to sanction eight Russian state media outlets alongside the EU.

“Eight organisations have been added to Annex 25 and the existing entries concerning 158 individuals and organisations in Annex 8 have been updated,” the Ministry’s statement reads.

The EU passed the 16th EU sanctions package on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, targeting a number of Kremlin propaganda outlets. It also imposed sweeping restrictions on Moscow’s banks, aluminum imports, and  “shadow fleet” of oil tankers.

The mouthpieces spreading propaganda include: Eurasia Daily, Fondsk, Lenta, NewsFront, RuBaltic, SouthFront, Strategic Culture Foundation, and Krasnaya Zvezda.

The Swiss sanctions against these outlets will come into force on April 23, 2025.

Breaking neutrality one step a time

Switzerland is historically a neutral country.

While it fell short of supplying military aid to Ukraine, the country has accepted a substantial number of Ukrainian refugees and has donated billions in economic and humanitarian assistance instead. It may also deploy a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine if Russia finally agrees to a ceasefire in the country it attacked.

The EU has consistently sanction Russia’s propaganda mouthpieces. In 2022, the EU banned the broadcasting activities of Russian state-owned outlets RT (Russia Today) and Sputnik across its member states. This prohibition extended to all forms of content distribution, including television, online platforms, and social media.