Press Release, 24.03.2023

Photo: WWF in Russia

Chairman of the Yabloko party Nikolai Rybakov sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin with an appeal to exclude the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) from the register of foreign agents. According to Rybakov, the decision on listing WWF in the register of foreign agents must be canceled, as well as the whole legislation on foreign agents.

Yabloko shares the stance of many environmental organisations in Russia and also considers it extremely erroneous, unfair and unreasonable to include World Wildlife Fund in the register of foreign agents. The status of a “foreign agent” will not only significantly complicate the work of the Fund, but also contradicts the national interests of the Russian Federation.

“I am convinced that this decision will have a negative impact on the preservation of the unique nature of our country and must be canceled, as well as the norms of Russian legislation on foreign agents in general,” Rybakov added.

The head of Yabloko also drew attention to the fact that the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation published on its official web-site an announcement about the traditional WWF event – Earth Hour, four days before the Fund was entered into the register. Similar information was posted on the web-site of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.

“This once again indicates that the Russian authorities do recognise the work of the Fund as aimed at preservation of the nature of Russia and the world,” Rybakov emphasised.

It should be noted that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has been working in Russia since 1994, protecting rare species and preserving the nature of the country. On 10 March, 2023, the organisation was entered by the Ministry of Justice of Russia into the register of foreign agents.