The legal entities of independent media outlet Bellingcat in the Netherlands and the UK, alongside the Latvian-based The Insider, were deemed undesirable organisations by the Russian general prosecutor’s office for their investigative reporting, including articles on the war in Ukraine. The measure effectively bans them from operating within Russia and opens their journalists and those they work with to criminal sanctions. The general prosecutor claimed that the continued operation of the outlets “presented a threat to the foundations of constitutional order and the safety of the Russian Federation.” Both Bellingcat and The Insider are known for their independent investigations into the Russian security services and domestic political repressions.
Russia-Ukraine WarCensorship and regulationPublication ban, take-down order or forced deletion, fine, administrative action