The collective securitization of ‘disinformation’ and the EU's ban on <i>Russia Today</i> and <i>Sputnik</i>
Journal: International Affairs
Year: 2025

Abstract On 1 March 2022, in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Council of the European Union introduced sanctions that restricted the broadcasting of Russian state-affiliated media Sputnik and Russia Today in the EU. This article explores how and why this measure came into being. It constitutes a particularly surprising development in EU information governance for two reasons. First, it restricts freedom of the press and of information, which are fundamental pillars of lib