The Ministry of Justice recognized the soloist of the Bi-2 group as a “foreign agent”

The Ministry of Justice of Russia entered the leader of the Bi-2 group Lev (Yegor Bortnik) into the register of “foreign agents”. The explanation stated that the musician spoke against the war in Ukraine, “spoke negatively about the Russian Federation, its citizens and state authorities.”

In May of that year, during a tour of the United States, Bortnik condemned invasion of Ukrainestating that “Putin’s Russia causes nothing but disgust and disgust” because “Putin and all his mentally retarded trash have destroyed the country.” He also said that he did not intend to return to Russia.

On April 28, the Bi-2 group refused to perform in Omsk because of the banner “For the president” against the background of the Russian flag, which hung in the concert hall. Subsequently, the group’s concerts were canceled in dozens of Russian cities.

In addition to Bortnik, economist Vladislav Inozemtsev, host of Popular Politics Irina Alleman, director of the Novosibirsk Open College Sergei Chernyshov, anthropologist Aleksandra Arkhipova, lawyer Anna Pshenichnaya, director of the Berlin Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Carnegie Alexander Gabuev received the status of “foreign agent”.

In addition, for “willingness to cooperate with foreign sources in order to obtain citizenship” and “support for the Ukrainian authorities”, former State Duma deputy Magomed Gadzhiev was entered into the register. Just last year, the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, called him “brother” and thanked him for “many years of supporting the Donbas industry and organizing humanitarian aid deliveries” during the war.

The Council of Mothers and Wives and its coordinator Olga Tsukanova were also recognized as “foreign agents”. Another organization that supplemented the register was the “People’s Union for the Revival of Russia”.