The Kremlin called the inspection of the “Yeltsin Center” “normal work” of the Ministry of Justice

The Kremlin is not aware of what prompted the inspection of the Yeltsin Center for the activities of a foreign agent, but such actions are the normal work of the Ministry of Justice. This was stated by the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov.

“No, we don’t know. I do not know what was the reason for such a check. On the other hand, these are the powers of the Ministry of Justice. Normal work of the department,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Justice Oleg Sviridenko informedthat the Ministry of Justice began checking the Yeltsin Center museum for the activities of a foreign agent. According to him, the reason was the request of the deputy. Sviridenko did not specify the official’s name.

The press service of the Yeltsin Center replied that they were calm about the reports of the check, since they were sure that it would confirm the absence of grounds for declaring the museum a foreign agent. They pointed to the “transparent financial reporting” of the museum and noted that the activities of the organization – both substantive and financial – are carried out in accordance with the law.

Earlier, the chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, director Nikita Mikhalkov, repeatedly criticized the Yeltsin Center. May 13 he urged remake the Yeltsin Center into a museum of modern history, which will be “honest, where it will be clear why it happened, who did it, what it led to.”

museum closure initiative did not support Chairman of the HRC Valery Fadeev. At the same time, he clarified that “there [в музее] We need to correct the ideology.

In June 2022, Peskov announced “controversial issues” in the activities of the Yeltsin Center. He emphasized that it is possible to recognize an organization as a foreign agent only by acting in accordance with the law.

The Yeltsin Center was opened in Yekaterinburg in November 2015. The founder of the museum is the administration of the President of the Russian Federation, and its head Anton Vaino heads the Board of Trustees.

The opening in 2015 was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Then the head of state said that the museum is “a reflection of an entire era” in the history of Russia. Putin then stressed that it was necessary to study “this complex and multi-valued, multi-vector experience, be proud of it and, of course, learn from it.”