The Russian government added the Moscow Times to its list of "foreign agents," the outlet reported, citing a Nov. 17 decision by Russia's Justice Ministry.
The Moscow Times, an independent Russian media outlet that relocated to Amsterdam following the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, was added to the registry alongside several other journalists and activists.
Russia’s “foreign agents” registry has been widely used to target and silence groups and individuals who are critical of the government, including independent journalists, activists, and NGOs.
The "foreign agent law" requires organizations that receive funding from abroad or are perceived by the Kremlin to have been influenced by foreign entities to register as "foreign agents."
The label imposes strict financial reporting and self-disclosure requirements. Any "foreign agent" must undergo rigorous financial audits and label all their content with a disclaimer stating that it is being distributed by a "foreign agent."
The Moscow Times said that both its English and Russian-language editions and social media pages, including on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Telegram, are now subject to restrictions.