The Russian Ministry of Justice has added Yegor Bortnik, a founder of the Bi-2 band who performs under the stage name Leva, along with several other individuals, to its list of foreign agents. This move places him among a group targeted for actions the government labels as contrary to the aims and interests of the state.
On May 26, 2023, the Ministry published orders designating EM Bortnik, MT Gadzhiev, IV Alleman, VL Inozemtsev, SA Chernyshov, AS Arkhipova, AT Gabuev, AE Pshenichnaya, and OV Tsukanova, as well as the organization known as the “People’s Union of the Resurrection of Russia,” for inclusion in the foreign agents registry. The public statement also mentioned the popular movement “Mothers and Wives Council.” This formal notification frames their activities as being aligned with external influence rather than Russian national interests, a characterization the ministry has repeatedly used in its briefing materials and legal proceedings. [citation: Ministry of Justice, Russian Federation]
The ministry’s description attributes foreign agent status to Bortnik on the grounds that he has opposed Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and has spoken critically about the Russian Federation, its people, and its government officials. These claims form part of the bureau’s broader rationale for designating individuals and groups it considers to be acting under foreign influence. [citation: Official records of the Ministry of Justice, Russian Federation]
In addition to Bortnik, the roster includes former State Duma deputy Magomed Gadzhiev, Sergei Chernyshov, the director of the Novosibirsk Open College, Irina Alleman, a television presenter, Alexander Gabuev, an orientalist and senior researcher at a research foundation linked to a major international policy institution, and Alexandra Arkhipova, an anthropologist. Olga Tsukanova, and the Mothers and Wives Council, are also named as foreign agents. These entries illustrate the breadth of the ministry’s monitoring scope, extending from cultural figures to academics and public associations. [citation: Ministry of Justice official materials]
The cultural figure involved, a musician who has publicly stated his intent to remain outside Russia, indicated in early May that he would not return to a country whose trajectory he described as failing to honor his past achievements. The declaration underscores a broader personal and artistic response to political and social conditions seen by many as restrictive or hostile to dissent, a theme that has recurred in commentary from artists resident abroad. [citation: Public statements by the artist]