Estonia-based Sputnik Media announces closure citing threats & economic pressure: Report

Estonia-based media organisation Sputnik Media announced their decision to shut down their organisation citing restrictions by the Estonian banks and authorities. The news outlet claimed that their employees had been receiving threats, Sputnik reported. Sputnik Media chief Elena Cherysheva in a statement announced the closure of the media outlet. 

Elena Cherysheva in a statement announced that the company has decided to shut down as they no longer would be able to conduct the administrative and economic activities of the media outlet. Cherysheva further stated that during the year, the banks in Estonia froze the salaries of the employees and closed the bank accounts of Sputnik Media, as per the Sputnik report. Cherysheva stated that the banks had taken the decision to freeze their accounts due to suspicions of "money laundering, terrorist financing, and illegal sale of alcohol."

Sputnik Media claims their bank accounts were frozen

Sputnik Media chief Elena Cherysheva further mentioned that some of the speakers did not agree to cooperate with the portal. Moreover, Cherysheva claimed that she and her employees had been receiving threats. Sputnik Media was created by former employees of Sputnik Estonia which had announced its closure in 2020 citing pressure from Estonian authorities. 

Sputnik announced shutting down operations in Estonia 

Earlier in January, 2020, the Russian news agency Sputnik announcing shutting down its operations in Estonia, RFE/RL's Russian Service reported. The media outlet had announced closure after more than 30 employees resigned from the organisation after facing pressure from Estonian police, as per the news report. The news agency in 2020 had published a statement informing that its 35 employees had either ended their contracts or resigned as they feared facing criminal cases. They had claimed that the Estonia police and Border Guard Board had given them an ultimatum that they needed to either no longer work for Sputnik or face criminal prosecution. 

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