(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has praised RT for steadfastly fulfilling its journalistic mission with honor, despite persistent efforts by foreign governments to silence the “voice of truth.”

He extended his congratulations to the network on its 20th anniversary, highlighting RT’s continued commitment to truthful reporting.

Originally launched as Russia Today in December 2005, RT has expanded into a multilingual media organization.

It now operates television channels and digital platforms in several languages, including English, Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Serbian, and Russian, reaching a broad international audience.

Lavrov addressed his remarks both as a representative of the Foreign Ministry and personally, speaking directly to RT’s team and its editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan.

He commended RT’s growth into a well-regarded journalistic institution, emphasizing that its correspondents frequently report from the front lines of major global events, often under hazardous and conflict-ridden circumstances.

“Thanks to their coverage, millions of viewers around the world have access to reliable information about developments in Russia and beyond,” Lavrov stated.

He added that the network’s effective reporting has unsettled foreign entities that are losing their dominance over the production and dissemination of public information, and who refuse to accept this shift.

These remarks come as RT faces sustained pressure from Western countries aiming to curb its influence.

According to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the network has been subjected to more than 110 distinct sanctions, had its financial accounts frozen, and its employees targeted with surveillance and intimidation tactics.

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