Vyacheslav Volodin, the Speaker of Russia’s State Duma, stated that individuals who reject assistance from other countries could avoid being labeled as foreign agents within Russia. He conveyed this perspective while addressing the news agency coverage, framing it as an option for those seeking to pursue development without external pressure or funding tied to foreign support.
Earlier, during a Duma plenum, lawmakers approved a second reading of a bill aimed at banning Russians and domestic companies from advertising or promoting information sources tied to foreign agents. The proposal was introduced to the chamber by 395 MPs on February 15. The legislation would change advertising rules by prohibiting the distribution of promotional material through information resources associated with foreign agents and tightening restrictions on such content. It also adds a clause to ensure that the restrictions and prohibitions in the advertising law apply to foreign representatives as well.
Volodin noted that in 2023 more than two hundred Russian entities, both individuals and corporations, advertised their goods and services on platforms run by foreign agents. He alleged that several foreign agents openly disclosed sending funds to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, highlighting this as a point of concern for Russian regulatory authorities and domestic consumers alike.
In related developments, former State Duma deputy Denis Maidanov has called for measures to block access for foreign representatives to social networks inside Russia, signaling a broader push to regulate cross-border information flows and digital influence operations that may affect internal communications and public discourse.