On March 23, the Russian Ministry of Justice expanded its register of foreign agents, announcing five individuals and a public association as new additions. The department’s update appeared on its official site and marked a notable shift in how the list is disclosed, with the latest expansion occurring on a Thursday instead of the usual Friday schedule. Earlier in February, the ministry paused new additions and resumed on March 10. The full registry now includes 565 foreign agents across both federal and international lists.
The newly added individuals include blogger Ilya Varlamov, human rights advocate Pavel Chikov, social activist and writer Svetlana Lada-Rus, political scientist Ruslan Aisin, and journalist Bogdan Bakaleyko, along with the Parni Plus or Parni+ association. The ministry accuses Varlamov and Chikov of spreading misinformation about decisions and policies of public authorities and notes that Varlamov received foreign funding while Chikov assisted in distributing materials associated with other foreign agents.
Chikov, a lawyer who previously led the Agora international human rights group, gave a recent interview to prominent journalist Yuri Dud, in which he discussed the list of foreign agents. During that conversation, Chikov indicated he has been living outside Russia since the spring of last year and sees no reason for a safe return to the country. The ministry’s account of the interview emphasizes his stated absence from Russia and his ongoing status concerning domestic return plans.
Svetlana Lada-Rus, also known as Svetlana Peunova, is described by the ministry as someone who has urged resistance to the current state apparatus, opposed the military operation in Ukraine, and expressed a critical view of military and civil service norms. The ministry notes that she currently resides abroad and is listed on both federal and international wanted lists, highlighting the seriousness with which authorities view her activities.
Historically, Peunova has led the Volya party, which was designated extremist and subsequently dissolved by a court in 2016. She has also been involved in establishing various medical and alternative health centers in the 1990s and 2000s, some of which later gained recognition as religious or spiritual movements. The ministry points to past criminal proceedings for fraud and intentional harm as part of the broader context surrounding her activities.
In addition to these cases, the ministry asserts that Ruslan Aisin and Bogdan Bakaleyko contributed to disseminating information that criticized government decisions and the military operation, while promoting materials created by other foreign agents. The Parni Plus or Parni+ association is accused of engaging in LGBT advocacy and distributing content produced by foreign agents, according to the ministry’s statements.
In a related development dated March 23, the Moscow Basmanny Court issued an order in absentia to blogger Maxim Katz, who is also listed as a foreign agent. Katz, who relocated to Israel following the onset of the military operation, had been on the foreign agents list since mid-2022 and has faced a criminal charge since October of the previous year. The court indicated that the detention period would commence from the moment of detention or extradition within Russia, underscoring the procedural framework that governs such cases.