On 30 August 2024, the Russian Ministry of Justice designated the general director of Meduza, Russia’s main independent online news outlet, as a “foreign agent”, Russian media reported. In a press release, the Ministry of Justice claimed that Timchenko created and distributed materials by other “foreign agents”, spoke out against Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, spread “fake news” about the decisions and policies of Russian authorities, as well as “false information aimed at forming a negative image of the Russian army”. Timchenko has been living outside of Russia since Meduza, which she co-founded, began operations in 2014.
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.