COUNTERESPIONAGE: Bank accounts of Russian state broadcaster Russia Today are FROZEN in the UK.

Margarita Simonyan, 36, editor of the Kremlin-funded 24-hour television news network, tweeted this morning: ‘Our accounts in the UK have been closed. All accounts. “The decision is not subject to revision”. Long live freedom of speech!’

RT published a letter it claimed to have been sent by NatWest, which said: ‘We have recently undertaken a review of your banking arrangements with us.’

The letter – said to have been sent to the channel’s offices at the Millbank Tower in Westminster – added that the bank had ‘reached the conclusion that we will no longer provide these facilities’.

The bank said in the note dated last Wednesday that the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, of which NatWest is part, would not service RT – and that this was final.

The watchdog Ofcom has ruled against RT in the past over what it said were a series of biased or misleading shows on Syria and Ukraine that flouted broadcasting codes.

Almost anything — or almost anyone — appearing on RT ought to be suspect.