Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

Russia designates independent Mediazona news outlet as 'foreign agent'

The ministry cited false information and anti-war reporting, while also adding six other people and projects to the registry.

  • On Friday, Russia's Justice Ministry re-designated the independent Mediazona news outlet as a "foreign agent," returning the exiled outlet to the state registry after its original legal entity was liquidated.
  • Mediazona was initially branded a "foreign agent" in 2021, but the Justice Ministry removed it from the registry after the liquidation of its original LLC. The outlet now operates from abroad with staff working outside Russia.
  • The Justice Ministry claimed Mediazona "disseminated false information about Russia's law enforcement system." Officials also cited the outlet's anti-war reporting and distribution of content from other "foreign agents" and "undesirable" organizations.
  • Separately, editor Yegor Skovoroda described the ministry's statement as "incredibly crazy." Russian state communications regulator Roskomnadzor had previously blocked Mediazona's website within Russia in March 2022, shortly after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
  • The "foreign agent" designation carries negative Soviet-era connotations and subjects those labeled to extra government scrutiny. Russia has opened criminal cases against several Mediazona journalists working abroad, including editor-in-chief Sergei Smirnov.
Insights by Ground AI

9 Articles

ReutersReuters
+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
Center

Russia designates independent Mediazona news outlet as 'foreign agent'

Russia's Justice Ministry on Friday declared the independent Mediazona news outlet a "foreign ​agent", a designation used to label ‌foreign-funded organisations that it says are engaged in political activity.

·London, United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Left

The Ministry of Justice has re-listed Mediasona on the register of "foreign agents" from the report on the agency's website...

·Moscow, Russian Federation (the)
Read Full Article

After a long break, the Ministry of Justice updated the register of non-agents to include journalists, activists and researchers of Russian politics. "Mediazona" is no longer introduced as a legal founder, but as a project without a lawn. It is also: Igor Sadreev, journalist, Miloslav Kodov, journalist, ex-chief of "Kinopska", Alexandr Litreev, IT specialist, blogger Natalya Kiseleva, political scientist Avvolod Bederson, author of the Re-Russia…

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 63% of the sources are Center
63% Center

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

The Mighty 790 KFGO broke the news on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal