After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin almost completely cleared the independent media space: newsrooms are blocked, declared "foreign agents" or "undesirable." Laws criminalizing criticism of the army or state policy are actively used against journalists. This is reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, as conveyed by UNN.
Details
It is noted that since March, a new pressure mechanism has been in effect: everyone whom the Ministry of Justice has included in the list of "persons under foreign influence" is obliged to open special accounts, where all their income – from fees to dividends – must be deposited. Funds can only be withdrawn after exclusion from the register, which effectively paralyzes the financial activities of independent media in exile.
In August, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation explained the inclusion of the international organization "Reporters Without Borders" in the list of "undesirable" organizations, accusing it of spreading "Western clichés" about the persecution of journalists.
According to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, since the beginning of the year alone, Russian authorities have added 62 organizations to this list, and have drawn up over 130 protocols for cooperation with them.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, as of February 2025, 247 journalists and newsrooms have been designated as "foreign agents." Six reporters working abroad have been заочно sentenced by Russian courts to imprisonment for terms ranging from 7.5 to 11 years on charges of "fakes."
Recall
Pro-government Russian political scientist Sergey Markov was recognized as a "foreign agent." The probable reason is his statement about Russia's responsibility for shooting down an Azerbaijani plane on December 25, 2024.