The latest decision by the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) to retain Russia in the organization does not impose new duties or constraints on financial institutions inside Russia or abroad. This outcome has been formally communicated by Rosfinmonitoring.
Officials from the Russian Ministry of Finance have stated that the country’s anti-money laundering system remains effective and capable of fulfilling its core functions under current conditions. The reassurance comes amid ongoing discussions about Russia’s standing within international financial governance structures and the FATF’s evolving posture toward Moscow.
Earlier reporting indicated that Russia was not added to FATF’s list of high-risk or financially unsafe jurisdictions. At the same time, the FATF did sanction Russia by suspending its full membership during the period of tension surrounding the Ukraine conflict, signaling a temporary reconfiguration rather than a permanent exclusion.
In related commentary, Serhiy Marchenko, the head of Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance, expressed the hope that Russia would be removed from FATF lists and subjected to additional blacklisting measures. He referenced alleged investigations into Moscow’s alleged involvement in money laundering schemes and asserted that Russia has cooperated with various groups and states that are already sanctioned, including entities and nations that have faced international penalties, with the implication that these connections warrant careful scrutiny by global financial authorities. Many of these remarks align with a broader international narrative about illicit finance risks linked to certain actors and regions, as observed by policy makers and financial regulators across Europe and North America.