On 21 July 2023, the Russian Ministry of Justice added Mikhail Kozyrev, as well as regional media network 7×7, to its list of “foreign agents”. Authorities accused the musical journalist working with TV Rain of opposing the war in Ukraine and of “propagating LGBT relationships”, which has become a criminal offence in Russia. 7×7 was accused of “disseminating false information” about the Russian army.

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.