On 3 November 2023, the Russian Ministry of Justice designated journalists Andrey Soldatov and Dmitry Gubin as “foreign agents”, for reasons which included reporting on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to authorities, Gubin disseminated publications published by other foreign agents, “false information” creating a “negative image” of Russia, as well as “false information” about decisions made by Russian authorities. In addition, authorities accused the journalist of publishing “false information” about the actions of the Russian army. Soldatov was accused of opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and of disseminating “false information” about the policies of the Russian leadership.
Dmitry Gubin is a press journalist, as well as a TV and radio presenter. He previously worked for the newspaper Kommersant, Ogonyok magazine, Vesti-FM radio and the TV channel TV Center. He lives in Germany since 2017.
Soldatov is the editor-in-chief of Agentura.ru, which specializes in news related to the operations of Russia’s security services. The journalist, who lives abroad, was earlier charged in Russia with spreading “false information” about the Russian army, in accordance with current Russian legislation which bans the reporting of any news on the war in Ukraine not confirmed by the Russian government.
Initially adopted in 2012, Russia’s law on foreign agents has been revised several times over the past decade to include an ever-wider range of potential targets for state-sponsored discrimination. Currently, any organization, media or private individual can be designated as such simply by being declared to be “under foreign influence” by the Russian Ministry of Justice or because of receiving funds of any amount from abroad (or from an entity itself receiving foreign funds). “Foreign agents” are also barred from receiving state financing, teaching at state universities, working with minors and providing expertise on environmental issues, among other restrictions.