Kremlin restricting access to information to fight dissent – UK intelligence

The UK Defense Ministry said this in an intelligence update published on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

The ministry recalled that on February 14, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law that permits the confiscation of property for the offense of "spreading false information about the Russian armed forces." According to analysts, the offense is largely designed to silence domestic critics of its war in Ukraine.

Two days earlier, the State Duma's "Committee on Foreign Interference" introduced a bill seeking to expand the scope of Russia's "undesirable" organizations designation. This is likely aimed to further limit the operation of Russian-language Western media organizations such as RFE/RL, Deutsche Welle and the BBC Russian service, according to the ministry.

"These moves are part of a wider Russian government trend that attempts to restrict the domestic information environment to limit domestic criticism and dissent," British intelligence said.

The ministry added that while this trend has been in evidence for many years, it has substantially accelerated after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.