Lithuania to block 12 websites streaming sanctioned Sputnik radio
Friday 18th September 2026 on 09:45 in
Lithuania
Lithuania’s Radio and Television Commission will block access to 12 websites that streamed the sanctioned Sputnik radio programme, LRT reported Friday.
The commission said Sputnik has sought to reach Lithuanian listeners both via a radio frequency from the Kaliningrad region and online. The programme is broadcast from Kaliningrad on 87.9 MHz, a frequency not coordinated with Lithuania. Reception in Lithuania is disrupted by a signal known as white noise.
However, monitoring conducted by the commission from August 21 to 26 found that Sputnik was also available online through radiosputnik.ru, sputnikperm.ru, radiopotok.ru, icecast-rian.cdnvideo.ru, top-radio.ru, radio-online.ru, radio-online.by, volna.top, online-radio-list.ru, onlayn-radio.ru, prfm.ru and radiogrom.com.
Hosting providers for 11 of the websites are based in Russia.
“Sanctions must work not only on paper. If content banned in the European Union moves to other distribution channels and becomes available to Lithuanian users again, we must respond,” LRTK Chairman Mantas Martišius said.
On September 16, the commission ordered Lithuanian internet service providers to block access to all 12 websites. The providers must do so no later than two working days after the decision takes effect.
The websites will be added to the Cybersecurity Information Network and to the commission’s list of websites subject to restrictions related to the implementation of international sanctions.
The European Union restricted broadcasts by Sputnik and RT, also known as Russia Today, in 2022. The sanctions cover Sputnik, RT English, RT UK, RT Germany, RT France and RT Spanish. The EU prohibits broadcasting these programmes or enabling their distribution through cable and satellite, IPTV, the internet, video-sharing platforms or applications.
LRTK continuously monitors access to sanctioned programmes. In February, it added another IP network to its restrictions list, while in May it added 32 domains and 27 IP addresses that enabled access to EU-sanctioned programmes.