Moscow labels British Council, Oxford Russia Fund "undesirable" organisations

Russia has officially banned the activities of two UK-linked organisations — the Oxford Russia Fund and the British Council — labelling them as “undesirable” and accusing them of carrying out intelligence and subversive operations within the country.

In a statement released by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on June 5, the agency claimed that the Oxford Russia Fund had engaged in activities it described as “detrimental to national security,” particularly within the higher education sector, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

According to the FSB, the Fund maintained confidential relations with academic staff in leading universities across regions including Volgograd, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, and Tomsk.

Fifteen Russian citizens have received official warnings regarding “cooperation with foreign organisations” whose operations have been outlawed in Russia. The warnings cite potential violations of Articles 275.1 and 284.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which concern confidential cooperation with foreign entities and participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation.

The FSB also reported that one university lecturer has been subjected to administrative penalties under Article 20.33 of the Administrative Code, which pertains to involvement with banned foreign groups. The agency said the Oxford Russia Fund distributed literature “promoting LGBT values” and gathered information on the country’s “internal socio-economic situation” during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

"It should be noted that the British traditionally consider representatives of the scientific environment as the most promising object for their influence, primarily because of their direct access to young people and the ability to broadcast the right opinion, educating the 'new generation' of Russian citizens in the right way for London," the FSB’s center for public affairs stated. 

In a separate announcement, the Prosecutor-General’s Office declared the British Council’s operations in Russia “undesirable” as well. The agency said the Council — officially a UK government-funded cultural institution — had been “promoting long-term British interests and values under the guise of educational and cultural activities.” It also alleged the organisation was involved in supporting “the LGBT movement” and in efforts to "rid the population of the former Soviet republics of their Russian identity.”

Authorities further claimed that the British Council’s outreach to youth and its ties to the UK government’s Chevening scholarship programme were part of a broader strategy to build a "global network of agents of British influence," the prosecutor’s office said.

Both the FSB and the Prosecutor-General’s Office have urged Russian citizens to avoid any interaction with the organisations, warning that such cooperation could result in administrative or criminal prosecution.

By Sabina Mammadli