The Ministry of Justice added RKD and the Academic Network to the list of undesirable organizations

The Russian Ministry of Justice introduced scroll undesirable organizations “Academic Network Eastern Europe” (Akademisches Netzwerk Osteuropa e.V.) and “Russian Action Committee” (RAC). It follows from the register that the Prosecutor General’s Office decided to recognize them as undesirable on November 14.

The RKD, which is based in Lithuania, was formed in May 2022 by chess player Garry Kasparov (recognized as a foreign agent) and ex-chairman of YUKOS Mikhail Khodorkovsky (recognized as a foreign agent). The committee positions itself as a movement of the Russian opposition in exile. In early November, Russia Today published a material in which the channel calls the purpose of creating the RKD “lobbying for anti-Russian sanctions.”

“Academic Network” appeared in 2020. The organization helps scientists and students from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine move to Germany to enroll in German universities or get a job in educational institutions. The Academic Network website says that since the organization’s inception, more than 80 people have benefited from 1 of 12 assistance programs.

At the end of October, it became known that the Ministry of Justice began to train experts in “political science research of information materials.” Their skills are planned to be used in processes related to the dissemination of extremist materials, calls for mass unrest, and also where NGOs performing the functions of a foreign agent appear.

More details in the text “Kommersant” “The Ministry of Justice authorized to study”.

Petr Buzlaev