In Russia, the number of foreign agents has more than tripled

Over three years, the number of foreign agents in Russia has more than tripled

Over three years, the number of foreign agents in Russia has more than tripled, reaching 579 individuals and legal entities, as well as media and non-profit organizations by the beginning of March 2024. Despite legal restrictions, many of them continue to operate as individual entrepreneurs or legal entities. These data were calculated for RIA Novosti using the Kontur.Focus counterparty verification service.

Researchers analyzed changes in the composition and number of foreign agents from March 2021 to March 2024 based on data from the register of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

The majority of foreign agents are individuals, accounting for 70.6% of the total. By the beginning of March 2024, 409 people had this status, while in March 2021 there were only five. Legal entities rank second in number – 16.4% of the total: 95 companies by March 2024. In comparison, in March 2021 there were 77 legal entities. In third place with a share of 13% are unregistered public associations and the media – at the beginning of March 2024, 75 foreign agents were employed in this category, while three years earlier there were 10.

Of the total number of individuals who are foreign agents, only 12.5% ​​are engaged in entrepreneurial activities. If in March 2021 none of them had an existing individual entrepreneurship, then by March 2024 the situation had changed: 51 foreign agent individuals had an active individual entrepreneur, and 358 did not.

The study showed that the number of legal entities-foreign agents without foreign participation is increasing, while with the participation of foreign capital, on the contrary, it is decreasing. For example, if in March 2021 there were three companies with foreign participation, then by March 2024 only one remained. The share of foreign agent companies with foreign participation is 1.1% of the total.