On 8 July 2025, Russian independent media reported that authorities had opened a criminal case against exiled journalist Alexander Atasuntsev. The case was opened on charges of “publishing tax secrets with material interests”, and was reportedly linked to a recent investigation authored by the journalist. The investigation examined Russia’s imports of sanctioned goods, including elements used to produce Russian missiles and civilian aircrafts. According to media reports, Russian authorities claimed that Atasuntsev “received information about the customs clearance of Russian goods, which constitutes a tax secret, and distributed it to an unspecified number of people.” The journalist currently does not live in Russia.