Switzerland Will Not Ban Russian Media Sputnik & RT

Earlier this year, Switzerland joined a number of European countries which decided to impose sanctions against Russia. This was on account of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, that began on 24 February after appeals from the Donbass People's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which had been shelled by the Ukrainian forces.

Switzerland will not ban Russian media organisations Sputnik and RT, according to a statement made by the country's government on Friday.

"The Federal Council has decided not to apply the EU measure of 1 March to suspend the broadcast of some Russian media, namely Sputnik and Russia Today," the council said in a statement.

Russian state-run media has been facing immense pressure in the EU recently after the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, announced that RT and Sputnik would be banned across the EU over their coverage of the Ukraine conflict. Russia slammed the move as an act of censorship and "manipulation of the information agenda".