Lithuania

[LT] Regulator orders blocking of twelve websites carrying Sputnik radio

IRIS 2026-9:1/19

Sergei Bondarev

Independent expert

On 16 September 2026, the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (Lietuvos radijo ir televizijos komisija – LRTK) adopted Decision No. KS-85 requiring providers of public electronic communications networks or services to block access to twelve websites carrying the Russian radio broadcast Sputnik. Monitoring conducted between 21 and 26 August had identified online listening routes including radiosputnik.ru, radiopotok.ru and radio-online.by. The LRTK reasoned that, although Internet service providers did not themselves broadcast the programme, they facilitated its transmission and were expressly covered by the EU sanctions rules.

The underlying prohibition has applied since 2 March 2022. Council Regulation (EU) 2022/350 of 1 March 2022 inserted Article 2f into Regulation (EU) No. 833/2014 and listed Sputnik alongside five RT services in Annex XV (see IRIS 2022-3:1/6). It prohibits broadcasting, enabling or facilitating the broadcasting of listed entities’ content, including through cable, satellite, IPTV, Internet service providers, video-sharing platforms and applications. The decision therefore applies an existing prohibition to identified distribution routes; it does not newly add Sputnik to the EU sanctions list.

The decision also relies on Lithuania’s national framework. Article 34¹(2¹) of the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public, introduced by the amendment adopted on 22 September 2022, prohibits the retransmission and online distribution of radio or television programmes of entities established, directly or indirectly managed, controlled or financed by Russia or Belarus. This separate national rule contains exceptions where the LRTK grants permission or programmes are retransmitted or distributed from EU member states or states party to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. The decision separately cites the International Sanctions Law and Government Resolution No. 535 of 25 May 2022, which assigns the LRTK responsibility for implementing sanctions concerning broadcasting, retransmission and online distribution.

Similar enforcement had previously concerned television services. On 12 February 2025, the LRTK ordered access blocked to 34 websites carrying EU-sanctioned television networks, including Pervyi Kanal, NTV/NTV Mir, Rossiya 1 and REN TV. That measure likewise required providers to act within two working days of its entry into force. The September 2026 decision applies the same enforcement approach to the twelve identified Sputnik radio access points.

The scope of Article 2f was also clarified in the CJEU’s judgment of 2 July 2026 in Case C-67/25, arising from German proceedings over the online redistribution of RT Germany. The prohibition covers an unpaid, donation-funded website operator (see IRIS 2026-8:1/27).

The LRTK's decision requires access to the twelve sites to be disabled within two working days of the decision’s entry into force. It also directs their inclusion in the cybersecurity information network and the LRTK’s published sanctions-related restrictions list. The decision may be appealed before the Regional Administrative Court (Regionų administracinis teismas) within 30 days of its entry into force. It separately records interference with Sputnik’s reception on 87.9 MHz from Kaliningrad; the operative website-blocking order addresses Internet access and does not introduce that radio-frequency measure.