Former Russian Prime Minister and opposition figure Mikhail Kasyanov has been designated a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice. The agency says he contributed to distributing materials from other foreign agents, including content about Russian politics that Western sources might label misinformation. It also notes his opposition to the war in Ukraine and his statements about information platforms tied to foreign networks. The ministry added that Kasyanov was part of the Russia Anti-War Committee, a group that criticized the actions of the Russian state. The ministry also stated that the former premier currently lives abroad. [Source: Russian Ministry of Justice attribution]
According to the ministry, Kasyanov helped disseminate materials from foreign agents and took part in campaigns questioning Russian policy while opposing the military operation in Ukraine. The ministry emphasized his ties to groups described as foreign-backed information platforms. It cited his membership in the Russia Anti-War Committee as part of the reason for the designation. The ministry also indicated that Kasyanov resides outside Russia.
“He does not allow him to loosen his tie”: Kasyanov in the Russian government
In the 1990s, Kasyanov served as Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, maintaining influence across three different administrations. During that period, he led challenging negotiations with international creditors, addressing the legacy debt of the Soviet Union and the later default crisis. Observers noted that he secured favorable terms for Russia through persistent, methodical bargaining. Kommersant described his approach as relentlessly convincing creditors to accept Russia’s conditions, a pace that defined his reputation as a skilled negotiator.
Former Finance Minister Boris Fyodorov called Kasyanov a pragmatic and steady thinker. Kommersant reported that he never relaxed his grip on the task at hand. In 1999 Kasyanov advanced to the role of Finance Minister, and in 2000 he became Prime Minister.
During the 2000s, Kasyanov’s cabinet pursued reforms in tax, budgeting, and pension systems. Yet the trajectory of his leadership was cut short by later assessments from President Vladimir Putin, who did not crown him as a long-term reformer. Putin later reflected that the first years showed potential but that the latter period lacked decisive momentum, hinting that political calculations often trumped policy execution. Putin contested not the achievements, but the sustained urgency behind continued reform work.
Putin acknowledged that some government figures preferred to see Kasyanov exit public service and described rumors about corruption as unfounded. He recalled the nickname some colleagues allegedly used before Kasyanov entered government, implying that the charges of bribe-taking were unsubstantiated. The president stressed there was no evidence to support those claims.
Opposition Kasyanov
Even with reform successes, a rift grew between Putin and Kasyanov. Putin reportedly blocked a gas-market reform championed by Kasyanov. The former prime minister criticized the controversial arrest of businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky in 2003 and warned that such actions could tarnish Russia’s international image. In response, Putin urged the government to avoid sensational clashes and to temper public hysteria over the case.
Around early 2003, Kasyanov began to sense a deepening divergence with the president over the country’s path. Differences in views on relations with Ukraine and Belarus became apparent, signaling a broader strategic split. Ultimately, Putin dismissed Kasyanov from government before the end of his first term, and Kasyanov later reported that he was offered the post of Secretary of the Security Council several times, which he declined.
He later explained that he decided to leave public office rather than stay in a system that no longer aligned with his goals. After stepping away from government, Kasyanov entered the opposition arena and attempted a presidential bid in 2008, though the Central Election Commission refused to register him, citing concerns over petition validity. Dmitry Medvedev won that year’s election.
In 2015, Kasyanov compiled the Nemtsov List, a resource naming journalists the opposition accused of harassment. He forwarded the list to the United States Congress with a call for sanctions on those linked to the issues raised. In recent years, the politician has been a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and Moscow’s policy directions, arguing that Russia now operates under a dictatorial framework and that a significant portion of society has been misinformed.