OREANDA-NEWS. On March 2, the EU banned the broadcasting of the Russia Today TV channel and the work of the Sputnik agency in Europe. This is reported by TASS with reference to the official journal of the European Union.

Earlier, the European Union approved a ban on broadcasting in Europe of Sputnik and RT channels.

“Coreper II approved sanctions tonight aimed at excluding certain Russian banks from the SWIFT system, in coordination with our international partners, a ban on participating in or investing in projects co-financed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund, a ban on Sputnik and RT broadcasting in the EU,” it says. in the message.

Prior to this, the EU ambassadors agreed to disconnect VTB, Rossiya and Otkritie banks, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, Sovcombank and VEB.RF from the SWIFT system. According to preliminary data, Sberbank and Gazprombank do not appear on the list.

SWIFT, the global interbank information and payment system, is working with EU authorities to learn more about restrictions on Russian banks and is preparing to act on the order.

The Belgian-based Global Cooperative of Financial Institutions said it is itself neutral and is acting on orders received from individual entities and issued by "exclusively the competent public authorities and relevant legislative bodies."