Russia Tightens Grip on 'Foreign Agents'

The Russian State Duma has passed a bill that increases control over the income of designated 'foreign agents.' These individuals and organizations will now channel property income, intellectual earnings, and deposits into special accounts. The move targets notable figures among the 895 on Russia's foreign agents list.

Russia's State Duma has greenlighted new legislation expanding the government's control over financial activities of those labeled as "foreign agents." The contentious bill mandates these entities to deposit earnings from property, intellectual ventures, and financial interests into designated rouble accounts.

This development forms part of a broader strategy to curtail perceived foreign influence within Russia. The foreign agent designation, notorious for its Soviet-era stigma, includes not just political dissenters but also those benefiting financially from foreign resources, prompting rigorous compliance demands.

Prominent figures such as ex-billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Nobel Laureate Dmitry Muratov find themselves among 895 individuals and organizations identified as foreign agents by the Justice Ministry. The bill's passage signals Moscow's escalating efforts to ensure financial transparency and loyalty among its citizens.

(With inputs from agencies.)