Russia’s Justice Ministry has added the U.S. global policy think tank RAND Corporation to its list of “undesirable” organizations, banning its activities and putting staff at risk of jail in Russia.
RAND’s designation, dated Dec. 6 on the ministry website, is not accompanied by a statement explaining Moscow’s decision to blacklist the research and development nonprofit.
The California-based RAND Corporation has published extensive research into Russia’s military since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in early 2022.
Organizations labeled “undesirable” must cease all operations inside Russia, and it is illegal for individuals and media outlets in Russia to republish or share their content.
The “undesirable” designation also places the organizations’ staff and members at risk of jail time.
Russia introduced its “undesirable” list in 2015 to crack down on foreign NGOs and ban Russians from working with or donating to them.
Russia has since used its law on “undesirable” organizations to target independent news outlets, human rights groups, environmental organizations and educational institutions.