Guidance

Guidance on the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme: specified foreign powers or foreign power-controlled entities - Russia (accessible version)

Published 1 April 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

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© Crown copyright 2025

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/foreign-influence-registration-scheme-specified-persons-guidance

Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at FIRS@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Glossary of key terms

FIRS

Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. The Scheme introduced through Part 4 of the National Security Act 2023.

Arrangement

Any type of agreement, whether formal or informal. This could include a contract, memorandum of understanding (MOU) or quid pro-quo informal agreement or arrangement.

Foreign power

Has the meaning given by Section 32 of the National Security Act 2023.

Political influence activities

A communication, public communication or provision of money, goods or services intended to influence a political matter.

Exemption from registration

A circumstance in which registration requirements do not apply.

Person

An individual or other person who is not an individual, such as a company.

Registrant

A person required to register under FIRS.

Information notice

A notice issued under section 75 of the National Security Act 2023 requiring the recipient to provide further information related to arrangements or activities registerable under FIRS.

Specified foreign power

A foreign power which has been specified through regulations under the enhanced tier of FIRS.

Specified foreign power-controlled entity (FPCE)

An entity which is controlled by a foreign power, and which has been specified through regulations under the enhanced tier of FIRS.

Chapter 1: About this guidance

This guidance provides further detail on the Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities who are currently specified under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS).

This guidance is intended for those who wish to know more about these specified foreign powers or specified foreign power-controlled entities, including those who consider that they may be in a registerable arrangement with either a specified Russian foreign power or a specified Russian foreign power-controlled entity to conduct activity in the UK. It may also be useful for a specified Russian foreign power-controlled entity who may need to register their own activity in the UK with the scheme.

More comprehensive guidance on the enhanced tier of FIRS and its requirements, including exemptions to registration and offences and penalties can be found here. That more comprehensive guidance should be read in conjunction with this guidance.

As foreign powers or foreign power-controlled entities can only be specified under the enhanced tier of FIRS, any guidance contained in this document relates to the enhanced tier only and does not apply to the political influence tier of FIRS. For further information on the requirements of the political influence tier of FIRS, consult the guidance on the political influence tier.

Chapter 2: Introduction to the scheme

1. FIRS is a two-tier scheme which enables transparency of foreign influence in UK politics and provides greater assurance around the activities of certain foreign powers or entities that may pose a risk to the UK’s safety and interests. It is contained within Part 4 of the National Security Act 2023.

The scheme’s requirements (the enhanced tier only)

2. The enhanced tier requires registration of relevant activity in the UK where a person is acting at the direction of specified foreign powers or foreign power-controlled entities. It also requires specified foreign power-controlled entities to register relevant activities which they carry out themselves in the UK.

3. A foreign power or a foreign power-controlled entity can be specified under the enhanced tier of FIRS where this is considered reasonably necessary to protect the safety or interests of the UK.

4. Unless otherwise stated, relevant activity means any activity. This includes, but is not limited to, commercial activity, academic and research activity and charitable activity.

5. There will be no fee to register with the scheme and information registered under the enhanced tier of the scheme will only be published where it relates to political influence activities. Further information about the information that is published can be found in the guidance on the information required at registration and the public register.

6. Further details on the scheme’s enhanced tier requirements can be found in guidance on the enhanced tier.

Exemptions

7. There are several exemptions from registration under the enhanced tier of FIRS. These are:

  • Anyone acting as part of an arrangement to which a UK Crown Body is a party (for example, those in a multilateral arrangement with both the UK government and specified foreign governments);
  • Individuals acting for a foreign power in their official capacity as employees, for example foreign diplomats based in the UK;
  • Family members (including unmarried partners) of staff of diplomatic missions, consular posts or permanent missions of UK-based international organisations, where they are supporting the official activities of their family member;
  • Lawyers, in their provision of legal services to foreign powers (for example, those representing specified foreign powers in a court case);
  • Those providing goods or services which are reasonably necessary to the functioning of a diplomatic mission, consular post or permanent mission of a UK-based international organisation;
  • Anyone acting as part of an arrangement to which a UK public body is a party;
  • Those carrying out activities related to a funded education arrangement (for example, a scholarship);
  • Government administrative and technical services (for example, activities related to the issue of passports or visas).

8. Further information on exemptions can be found in the guidance on the enhanced tier.

Offences and penalties

9. The scheme contains several offences, including for those who fail to comply with registration requirements, or fail to respond to information notices. Where registration requirements have not been met, there are also offences for those who carry out activities pursuant to a relevant arrangement. Where it is believed that a criminal offence has taken place, the relevant information will be passed onto law enforcement. There are criminal penalties associated with these offences. A person who commits an offence under the enhanced tier is liable on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine (or both).

10. Further information on offences and penalties can be found in the guidance on the enhanced tier.

Interaction with other government legislation

11. Some specified foreign powers or foreign power-controlled entities may be subject to other controls by the UK government, for example sanctions or asset freezes. Registering with FIRS is not an alternative to these controls and it is the responsibility of the individual registering to ensure that they are also complying with any other UK government legislation that may be applicable to them.

12. Where relevant, registrants may also still need to comply with other legal schemes, such as the National Security and Investment Act, in addition to FIRS. Registering with FIRS does not absolve individuals of the responsibility to comply with these other relevant schemes.

Chapter 3: Specified Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities    

13. The following Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities are specified under the enhanced tier of FIRS:

  • a. The President of Russia (in their public capacity);

  • b. The Government of Russia (including any part of the government) and all of its agencies and authorities including:

    • i. The Presidential Executive Office (Administratsii Prezidenta Rossiyskoy Federatsii);

    • ii. The Security Council (Sovet bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii);

    • iii. The State Council (Gosudarstvennyy Sovet Rossiyskoy Federatsii);

    • iv. All Ministers (in that capacity);

    • v. All Ministries (including the Ministry of the Interior);

    • vi. The armed forces including:

      • Ground Troops (Sukhoputnyye voyskia- SV);
      • Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot-VMF);
      • Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye sily- VKS) ;
      • Airborne Troops (Vozdushno-desantnyye voyska- VDV);
      • Strategic Rocket Forces (Raketnyye voyska stratgicheskogo naznacheniya- RVSN);
      • Special Operation Forces (Sily spetsialnykh operatsiy- SSO).
    • vii. Federal National Guard Troops Service (Federalnaya sluzhba voysk natsionalnoy gvardii);
    • viii. Federal Security Services (Federal’naya sluzhba bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii- FSB);
    • ix. Any other intelligence services including the Main Intelligence Directorate (Glavnoye upravleniye General’nogo shtaba Vooruzhonnykh sil Rossiyskoy Federatsii- GRU) and Foreign Intelligence Service (Sluzhna Vneshney Razvedki Rossiykoy Federatsii- SVR);
    • x. The government of a federal subject of Russia.
  • c. Federal Assembly of Russia (including either the Federation Council (Sovet Federatsii) or the State Duma (Gosudarstvennaya duma);
  • d. The judiciary of Russia;
  • e. United Russia Party (Vserossiyskaya politichesskaya partiya “Yedinaya Rossiya”);
  • f. Communist Party of Russia (Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossiyskoy Federatsii);
  • g. Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (Liberal’ no-demokraticheskaya partiya Rossii); h. A Just Russia Party (Spravedlivaya Rossiya- Za pravdu).

14. Further detail on these specified Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities can be found in chapter 4.

Relevant activity

15. Relevant activity in relation to the current list of specified Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities means any activity. This includes but is not limited to commercial activity, media activity, charitable activity, and academic and research activity.

In a public capacity

16. The President of the Russian Federation and Ministers of the Russian Federation are only specified where they are acting in their public or Ministerial capacity.

17. For an arrangement with such a specified foreign power to be registerable, the specified foreign power has to be directing registerable activity in their official capacity e.g. as a Minister of the Russian Federation. For example, where the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation directs an individual to attend a defence industry symposium in the UK and report back on the discussions at the symposium, the individual will need to register with FIRS.

18. Where a specified foreign power is directing someone in their private capacity as an individual, this will not need to be registered with FIRS. For example, if the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation visits London on holiday with their family and directs a travel agent in the UK to organise their trip, the travel agent does not need to register with FIRS as the Minister of Agriculture is acting in their private capacity as an individual, as opposed to in their official capacity as the Minister of Agriculture.

Individuals acting for a specified foreign power or foreign power-controlled entity

19. If an arrangement is formed with an employee of a specified foreign power or foreign power-controlled entity (when acting in this capacity), it is treated as an arrangement with a specified foreign power or entity. For example, if a person enters into an arrangement with a civil servant from a specified foreign power in relation to their role as a civil servant the condition would be met. A person entering into an arrangement with a civil servant from a specified foreign power on a matter unrelated to their role as a civil servant (e.g. if they are separately the trustee of a charity) would not meet the condition.

Chapter 4: Further detail on specified Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities

20. This section of the guidance provides further information on each of the specified Russian foreign powers and foreign power-controlled entities. This provides those who may be in arrangements with these powers and entities further information to enable them to know whether they need to register with the scheme.

Russia as a specified foreign power

The President of Russia (in their public capacity)

21. The President of Russia is the highest authority in the Russian Federation. The Constitution of the Russian Federation accords them the role of the head of the Russian state, representing the Russian Federation both domestically and overseas, as well as being the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation [footnote 1].

Example of a registerable arrangement with the President of Russia (in their public capacity):

The director of a Russian tech company is travelling to the UK to attend a conference on the future of artificial intelligence. The director has links to the President of Russia who directs them to take notes about the conference and its attendees and pass these to the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. While the director is not paid to do this, they know that fulfilling a direction from the President will benefit them should they carry it out, potentially opening future business opportunities. Conversely, the director also knows that not carrying out this direction is likely to be to their detriment, including to their business, due to the power wielded by the President.

This is a registerable arrangement as the director of the tech company is being directed by a specified foreign power (the Russian President) to carry out activity in the UK (take notes at a UK conference and pass these to the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education).

The director of the technology company should register this arrangement within 10 days and cannot attend the conference and take the notes until the arrangement has been registered.

The Government of Russia (including any part of the Government) and all of its agencies and authorities

22. The Government of Russia are the group of people who officially control the Russian Federation. According to Article 110 of the Russian constitution, the Government of the Russian Federation consists of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (commonly known as the Prime Minister), deputy chairmen of the Government of the Russian Federation (commonly known as Deputy Prime Ministers) and federal ministers. More detail on each of these roles is provided below.

23. The below list is designed to provide further detail on what is meant by the Government of Russia and its agencies and authorities. This list is not meant to be exhaustive as there are numerous agencies and authorities in Russia, and it is not possible to list them all in this guidance. Moreover, the names of these are subject to change over time.

The Presidential Executive Office [footnote 2]

24. The Presidential Executive Office provides support for the President’s work and monitors the implementation of the President’s decisions. This includes preparing draft laws for the President to submit to the State Duma (part of the Federal Assembly of Russia which is the Russian Parliament) as legislative initiatives.

The Security Council

25. The Security Council is a constitutionally mandated body that is chaired by the President of the Russian Federation. It is a separate department of the Presidential Executive Office which is responsible for determining state policy on security and help the President carry out their duties in “…defending human rights and civil rights, as well as Russia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity” [footnote 3].

The State Council

26. A constitutional state body formed by the President to coordinate the functions of, and facilitate cooperation between, state bodies, define the main areas of domestic and foreign policy and the priorities of national socioeconomic development [footnote 4].

All Ministers (in their capacity as Ministers)

27. Ministers are members of the Government of the Russian Federation and undertake certain responsibilities as part of that role [footnote 5].

28. There are a number of Ministers in the Russian Federation at any given time [footnote 6], which currently include:

  • a. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President to act as the head of the Government. They are responsible for chairing the Cabinet of Ministers, will act as President if the President is unable to carry out their duties and a number of federal ministries report directly to them, including the Ministries of Education and Health [footnote 7].

  • b. Deputy Prime Ministers. There are currently 10 deputy prime ministers in the Russian Federation [footnote 8].

  • c. Federal Ministers who are in charge of federal ministries (government departments). These include:

    • i. Minister of Industry and Trade
    • ii. Defence Minister
    • iii. Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic
    • iv. Minister of Justice
    • v. Minister of Sport
    • vi. Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities
    • vii. Minister of Science and Higher Education
    • viii. Minister of the Interior
    • ix. Minister of Labour and Social Protection
    • x. Minister of Natural Resources
    • xi. Minister of Education
    • xii. Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief
    • xiii. Minister of Foreign Affairs
    • xiv. Minister of Agriculture
    • xv. Minister of Culture
    • xvi. Minister of Healthcare
    • xvii. Minister of Economic Development
    • xviii. Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media
    • xix. Minister of Finance
    • xx. Minister of Transport
    • xxi. Minister of Energy

  • d. Deputy Ministers to the Federal Ministers listed above.

All Ministries (including the Ministry of the Interior)

29. The federal ministries of the Russian Federation are the government departments which are responsible for the day-to-day administration of areas of government responsibility. They draft and implement government policy and conduct legal regulation of a number of areas.

30. There are a number of federal ministries in the Russian Federation at any given time which currently include [footnote 9]:

  • a. Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief [footnote 10] - this Ministry is responsible for civil defence, the protection of citizens and territories from natural and manmade emergencies and providing fire and water safety.
  • b. Ministry of Defence [footnote 11] - this Ministry is responsible for defence and the day-to-day management of the Russian Armed Forces, including managing its property.
  • c. Ministry of Internal Affairs [footnote 12] - this Ministry is responsible for internal affairs, such as domestic security and migration.
  • d. Ministry of Foreign Affairs [footnote 13] - this Ministry is responsible for Russia’s foreign relations.
  • e. Ministry of Justice [footnote 14] - this Ministry is responsible for the penal system, as well as the registration of non-profit organisations including branches of international organisations and foreign non-profit non-governmental organisations, political parties, other public associations and religious organisations.
  • f. Ministry of Agriculture [footnote 15] - this Ministry is responsible for agriculture and related industries including livestock farming, crop production and the food and food processing industry.
  • g. Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities [footnote 16] - this Ministry is responsible for construction, architecture, urban development, housing and utilities.
  • h. Ministry of Culture [footnote 17] - this Ministry is responsible for culture, the arts, historical and cultural heritage and tourism.
  • i. Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic [footnote 18] - this Ministry is responsible for the implementation of state programmes and federal targeted programmed in the Russian Far East and Arctic.
  • j. Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media [footnote 19] - this Ministry is responsible for telecommunications, mass media, IT and postal services.
  • k. Ministry of Economic Development [footnote 20] - this Ministry is responsible for socioeconomic analysis and forecasting, development of business, including small and medium-sized business and protecting the rights of legal entities and self-employed entrepreneurs.
  • l. Ministry of Education [footnote 21] - this Ministry is responsible for general education, vocational training and childcare and parenting.
  • m. Ministry of Energy [footnote 22] - this Ministry is responsible for the oil and fuel sector including issues related to electric power and renewable energy sources.
  • n. Ministry of Finance [footnote 23] - this Ministry is responsible for budget, tax, insurance, foreign exchange and banking.
  • o. Ministry of Health [footnote 24] - this Ministry is responsible for healthcare, disease prevention measures and the production and distribution of medical products.
  • p. Ministry of Industry and Trade [footnote 25] - this Ministry is responsible for the industrial and defence sectors, supporting industrial exports and technical regulation.
  • q. Ministry of Labour and Social Protection [footnote 26] - this Ministry is responsible for labour conditions and protection as well as social security and social services.
  • r. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment [footnote 27] - this Ministry is responsible for the exploration, use, reproduction and protection of natural resources.
  • s. Ministry of Science and Higher Education [footnote 28] - this Ministry is responsible for science and higher education.
  • t. Ministry of Sport [footnote 29] - this Ministry is responsible for physical fitness and sport.
  • u. Ministry of Transport [footnote 30] - this Ministry is responsible for civil aviation, domestic water, rail and motor transport.
The armed forces

31. The Russian Armed Forces are the Russian military and are responsible for defending the territory of the Russian Federation [footnote 31]. It consists of the following arms: the Ground Forces, the Navy, Aerospace Forces, Airborne Forces, Strategic Rocket Forces and Special Operations Forces.

Federal National Guards Troops Service (Rosguard) [footnote 32]

32. Separate from the Russian Armed Forces, the Rosguard are responsible for securing Russia’s borders, gun control, combatting terrorism and organised crime, protecting public order and guarding key state facilities.

Federal Security Services (FSB) [footnote 33]

33. The FSB is responsible for implementing government policy in the national security of the Russian Federation, counterterrorism, the protection and defence of the Russian state border, the protection of Russia’s maritime borders and resources and ensuring the information security of Russia.

Any other intelligence services

34. Intelligence services are responsible for the collection, analysis and exploitation of information to deliver a number of different government functions, including law enforcement, national security, military, public safety and foreign policy. These include the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Russian Armed Forces which is responsible for supplying military intelligence to the President of Russia [footnote 34] and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) which is Russia’s external intelligence agency which is aimed at protecting Russian individuals, society and the state from external threats [footnote 35].

Example of an arrangement that needs to be registered:

A UK-based social media influencer is contacted by a civil servant working in the Russian Ministry of Culture who directs them to make and upload a series of TikToks about Russian cultural traditions in exchange for this being shared on the Russian Ministry of Culture’s social media.

This is a registerable arrangement as the influencer is being directed by a specified foreign power (the Russian Ministry of Culture) to carry out activity in the UK (make and upload a series of TikToks about Russian cultural traditions).                                

The social media influencer will need to register this arrangement within 10 days. They should not carry out any activity pursuant to this arrangement such as filming and uploading content until this arrangement has been registered.

Specified entities controlled by Russia

35. Where a person is in an arrangement with these entities where the entities are directing them to carry out relevant activities in the UK (either themselves or through someone else) and that person is not exempt from registration, they will need to register with the scheme. More details on the requirements for persons in an arrangement with a specified foreign power or foreign power-controlled entity can be found in the guidance on the enhanced tier.

36. These entities also have to register with the scheme themselves where they are carrying out any relevant activities in the UK.

37. The responsibility for registering the entity’s activities lies with the specified entity and not its individual employees. If multiple employees of the entity are involved in a relevant activity, a single registration completed by the entity will suffice; individual employees are not required to register separately. Entities are not required to list all of the individuals involved in delivering the activities.

Federal Assembly of Russia (including the Federation Council or the State Duma)

38. The Federal Assembly of Russia is the Russian parliament and is comprised of the Federation Council and the State Duma. It fulfils the legislative function in Russia meaning it is responsible for passing laws and approving the Government’s budget.

39. The Federation Council is the upper chamber of the Russian parliament and is comprised of two representatives from each of the federal subjects of Russia and up to 30 representatives appointed by the President [footnote 36]. The Federation Council reviews federal constitutional laws and federal laws approved or adopted by the State Duma, as well as drafting federal or constitutional laws on its own.

40. The State Duma is the lower chamber of the Russia parliament and is made up of 450 members [footnote 37]. Its primary tasks are adoption of federal constitutional and federal laws, control over the activity of the Russian Government, appointment and dismissal of heads of the Central Bank, Accounts Chamber and High Commissioner on Human Rights, declaration of amnesty, and issues of international parliamentarian cooperation.

Example of an arrangement that needs to be registered:

A member of the State Duma hires a UK lobbying firm on behalf of the State Duma. The lobbying firm is paid to lobby relevant members of the UK Government to try and increase trade activity between the UK and Russia.

This is a registerable arrangement as the UK lobbying firm is being directed by a specified foreign power-controlled entity (a member of the State Duma) to carry out activity in the UK (lobby relevant members of the UK Government to increase trade activity between UK and Russia).                                

The UK lobbying firm has to register this within 10 days of making the arrangement and cannot conduct any activity pursuant to this arrangement until it has been registered.

The judiciary of Russia

41. The Russian judiciary adjudicates legal disputes and administers justice in Russia [footnote 38]. The Russian judiciary includes:

  • a. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation - The Constitutional Court is responsible for ensuring that Russian laws made by the Federation Council align with the Russian Constitution. It resolves disputes between state bodies as well as between the Russian Federation and citizens of the Russian Federation on the constitutionality of the law and how it is applied. It is made up of the President and Vice President of the Constitutional Court as well as the judges of the Constitutional Court. These positions are nominated by the President of the Russian Federation and appointed by the Federation Council.

  • b. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (highest court of general jurisdiction) - The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in Russia responsible for resolving civil cases, commercial disputes, criminal, administrative and other cases which can be heard by the lower courts of general jurisdiction and commercial courts. It supervises the activity of the courts of general jurisdiction and the commercial courts and clarifies issues of court practice (how the courts operate). It is made up of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, deputy chief justices and judges. These positions are nominated by the President and approved by the Federation Council.
  • c. Lower courts of general jurisdiction [footnote 39] - Under the Supreme Court described above, there are several levels of courts of general jurisdiction:
    • i. Magistrate courts- These are the lowest level of court of general jurisdiction and are also sometimes referred to as “Justice of the Peace Courts”. They handle criminal cases where the maximum penalty is no more than three years imprisonment, civil cases such as family matters and divorces, most property disputes where the underlying value at stake is no more than 50,000 roubles (excluding inheritance cases and cases concerning intellectual property rights) and disputes concerning use of jointly owned property.
    • ii. District courts- District courts exist at levels below a federal region, including at borough and city level. They deal with civil and criminal cases that are not heard by the magistrates’ court.
    • iii. Regional courts- Regional courts exist in each of the 83 federal regions of Russia and they deal with more complex civil cases of criminal cases where there is a possibility of more than three years imprisonment. They also hear cases that concern state secrets and criminal cases where the accused has a special status such as being a member of the Federal Assembly or being a judge.
    • iv. Appellate courts [footnote 40] - Appellate courts hear appeals on the decision of general courts of jurisdiction (both on the nature of the decision made and the process by which it was made).
    • v. Cassation courts [footnote 41] - Cassation courts hear appeals on the process by which appellate court decisions were made. It does not hear appeals on the nature of the decision made.
  • d. Commercial courts [footnote 42] - Commercial courts deal with disputes in commercial matters, such as legal disputes between corporations or between a corporation and the state. They are also sometimes referred to as arbitration courts. There are regional commercial courts in each of the 83 federal districts of Russia listed above who handle the initial trials of commercial disputes. Above these, are appellate commercial courts who hear appeals against the decisions of the regional commercial courts. Above these are cassation commercial courts which hears appeals against the appellate courts. These courts only hear appeals on the application of the law and how a decision was made, they do not consider appeals on what decision was made.
  • e. Military Courts- There is a separate system of military courts that handle all criminal matters and civil cases arising from actions committed by members of the armed forces, police, security services and internal forces such as the Rosguard. There are military courts of the 5 military districts or fleets of Russia (Leningrad, Moscow, Central, Eastern and Southern). There are also military courts in garrison districts which are sub-divisions of these military districts.

Example of an arrangement that needs to be registered:

A Russian Supreme Court judge contacts an individual based in the UK on behalf of the Russian Supreme Court and requests that they write to the UK Home Secretary enquiring about ongoing national security court cases in the UK. In exchange for complying with this request, the judge suggests that there may be other requests made of the individual in future and that these may result in payment or other material benefit.

This is a registerable arrangement as the individual is being directed by a specified foreign power-controlled entity (a Russian Supreme Court judge) to carry out activity in the UK (write to the UK Home Secretary).                                

The individual will have to register this arrangement within 10 days of it being made and will not be able to conduct any activity pursuant to the arrangement, such as drafting the letter, before they have registered the arrangement.

Political parties specified as Russian controlled entities

42. Political parties in Russia are organisations whose members have similar political aims and ideas. Political parties put forward candidates for elections (including presidential elections, State Duma elections and federal authority elections). Where these candidates are elected, they will form part or whole of the national or federal Government.

43. The following political parties controlled by Russia are specified:

  • a. United Russia Party. This is the ruling party of the Russian federation.
  • b. Communist Party of Russia.
  • c. A Just Russia Party.
  • d. Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

Example of an arrangement that needs to be registered:

A UK political party has links to a specified Russian political party. A member of the specified political party emails the UK political party to ask whether the specified Russian political party can give a video presentation on the work of their party at a local meeting of the UK political party. If the UK political party does not agree, it is suggested by the specified Russian political party that this may have negative impacts on the parties’ links. The UK political party agrees to give a video presentation at their next local meeting.

This is a registerable arrangement as the UK political party is being directed by a specified foreign power-controlled entity (a specified Russian political party) to carry out activity in the UK (host a video presentation on the work of the Russian political party).                                

The UK political party will need to register this arrangement within 10 days of entering into it. They should not carry out any activity pursuant to this arrangement before registering the arrangement.

  1. 1680a1a237 (coe.int) ↩

  2. Presidential Executive Office ∙ Structure ∙ President of Russia (kremlin.ru) ↩

  3. Security Council ∙ Structure ∙ President of Russia (kremlin.ru) ↩

  4. State Council ∙ Structure ∙ President of Russia (kremlin.ru) ↩

  5. 1680a1a237 (coe.int) ↩

  6. Senior Russian Government Officials - The Russian Government ↩

  7. FACTBOX: Russian president and prime minister: who does what? Reuters ↩

  8. Senior Russian Government Officials - The Russian Government ↩

  9. Ministries and Agencies - The Russian Government ↩

  10. Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  11. Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  12. Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  13. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  14. Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  15. Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  16. Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  17. Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  18. Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic - The Russian Government ↩

  19. Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  20. Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  21. Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  22. Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  23. Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  24. Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  25. Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  26. Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  27. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  28. Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  29. Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  30. Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  31. Russia’s armed forces (europa.eu) ↩

  32. Federal National Guard Service of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  33. Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  34. Factbox - What is Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency? Reuters ↩

  35. Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation - The Russian Government ↩

  36. Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation ↩

  37. The State Duma ↩

  38. 1680a1a237 (coe.int) ↩

  39. The Russian Judiciary (Chapter 3) - TELFA ↩

  40. The judicial system of the Russian Federation and the prosecutor’s office (duma.gov.ru) ↩

  41. The judicial system of the Russian Federation and the prosecutor’s office (duma.gov.ru) ↩

  42. The Russian Judiciary (Chapter 3) - TELFA ↩

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