UK regulator revokes licence of Russia-backed broadcaster RT

Vladimir Putin (file image)

Britain's communications regulator has revoked the licence of Russian-backed broadcaster RT amid investigations of its coverage of the Ukraine war.

The regulator, Ofcom, said it a statement that it did not consider RT's licensee, ANO TV Novosti, to be “fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast license.”

Ofcom says Friday's decision followed 29 ongoing investigations into the impartiality of RT's news and current affairs coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The regulator says: “We have concluded that we cannot be satisfied that RT can be a responsible broadcaster in the current circumstances. Ofcom is therefore revoking RT's licence to broadcast with immediate effect.''