The Russian State Duma tightens controls over foreign agents

09.06.2026

Article published on the ASI website

Attempts to challenge foreign agents’ status via the administrative route will now take longer, while a total ban on social advertising is to be introduced from September this year.

On 9 June, MPs passed a bill at both second and third readings, aimed at improving State oversight of compliance of foreign agents’ legislation.

The bill improves mechanisms for inter-agency information-sharing. The approved amendments will speed up the process for monitoring the financial and economic activities of foreign agents. Furthermore, public authorities, credit institutions and other finance organisations are now obliged to provide essential information on foreign agents within three working days of the request being received.

In addition, should the Russian Ministry of Justice reject an application from a foreign agent for it to be removed from the register, a repeat request will only be allowed after one year has elapsed. For individuals who are included on the register for the first time, the bill sets out a separate re-application process.

From 1 September, a complete ban will be introduced on the dissemination of social advertising that promotes information resources managed by foreign agents. Those registered on the foreign agents’ list are prohibited from acting as advertisers or clients of social advertising. The bill’s authors say that the involvement of foreign agents in preparing socially significant content runs the risk of distorting national priorities.

Source: https://asi.org.ru/news/2026/06/09/gosduma-uzhestochila-kontrol-za-inoagentami/