Google’s YouTube on Tuesday joined a string of big tech giants blocking content from Russian state-backed media outlets RT and Sputnik across Europe. The company said in a statement that it is blocking YouTube channels connected to the two media outlets in the EU, effective immediately, due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine. “It’ll take time for our systems to fully ramp up. Our teams continue to monitor the situation around the clock to take swift action,” a YouTube spokesperson said on Twitter. Previously, Google barred the likes of RT and Sputnik and several other Russian channels from earning money for ads on their websites, apps, and YouTube videos, in line with recent EU sanctions. The announcement comes after Facebook parent company Meta Platforms on Monday said it will restrict access to Kremlin-backed news outlets RT, formerly known as Russia Today, and Sputnik on its platforms across the European Union. The decision came at the request of the Ukrainian …