On 17 January 2025, Russia’s Ministry of Justice designated journalists Iryna Romaliyska, Andrey Kozenko and Anastasiya Lotareva as “foreign agents”, Russian media reported. All three journalists received the designation on grounds of opposing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as disseminating publications by other “foreign agents”, among other charges.
Originally from Ukraine, Romaliyska is a TV and former radio journalist who works at the Prague-based Russian-language independent TV channel Current Time, which is part of the RFE/RL media corporation. Kozenko is a journalist for the Russian service of the BBC who previously worked for outlets such as Meduza, Kommersant and Lenta.ru. Lotareva also works as a correspondent for the Russian service of the BBC, she was previously the editor-in-chief of online outlet Takiye Dela, which focuses on social issues in Russia.
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.