On 22 March 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Justice designated journalist Kirill Nabutov, as well as environmental outlet Smola Media, as “foreign agents”. According to authorities, Nabutov positions himself against Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, disseminates publications by other “foreign agents” and lives abroad. Smola Media was also designated for condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine and for disseminating publications by other “foreign agents”.
Kirill Nabutov is known in Russia as a TV presenter, sports commentator and news journalist. He denounced Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and moved to Latvia after the start of the war. Smola Media was created by journalists formerly with Kedr Media, another environmental outlet which was forced to close after its designation as a “foreign agent” in November.
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.
UPDATE: On 10 June 2024, a court in St. Petersburg refused to cancel the decision on designating Nabutov as a “foreign agent”.