The Russian Ministry of Justice has declared journalist Vladimir Sevrinovsky* a foreign agent.

Journalist Vladimir Sevrinovsky*, known for his reports and documentaries on the North Caucasus republics, has been added to the Russian Ministry of Justice's register of foreign agents.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," large-scale protests against the mobilization took place in Makhachkala on September 25 and 26, 2023, ending in mass arrests. Journalists covering the protests were also taken into police custody. Among them was Vladimir Sevrinovsky. He was arrested for five days; Sevrinovsky subsequently secured an overturned sentence. In late December 2022, Sevrinovsky and three other journalists appealed to the Investigative Committee of Dagestan with a request to investigate the actions of security forces during the arrests. In January 2024, it became known that the Sovietsky District Court of Makhachkala discontinued proceedings on the complaint of journalist Vladimir Sevrinovsky regarding the inaction of investigators, who for more than a year refused to register his statement about the illegal detention at a rally. Those guilty of violating the rights of journalists during the rally against mobilization in Makhachkala have not suffered any punishment, the journalist stated.

The Russian Ministry of Justice today announced the inclusion of Vladimir Sevrinovsky* on the register of foreign agents. According to the ministry, Sevrinovsky* participated in the creation and dissemination of materials from other foreign agents, as well as organizations deemed "undesirable" by Russian authorities.

"He disseminated false information about decisions made by public authorities of the Russian Federation and the policies they pursued," the ministry's website stated. It also noted that Vladimir Sevrinovsky* opposed the actions of the Russian army in Ukraine.

As of 6:15 PM Moscow time today, Vladimir Sevrinovsky* had not commented on the Ministry of Justice's decision on his Facebook page**. Furthermore, starting in November 2025, the journalist will be required to accompany all his publications with a note stating that the ministry considers him "a participant in the 'Cherta' project*, included in the register of foreign agents."

The journalist explained to his readers that he considered the agency's decision absurd, since he collaborates as a freelancer with various media outlets and, during the year prior to being designated a "foreign agent," published only one article in the publication "Cherta"*.

"I'm not a foreign agent, but a participant in a foreign agent. This is a very interesting status. Appointments as participants, as well as foreign agents themselves, can be made arbitrarily; no evidence is required. There is no procedure for removing from the list," Sevrinovsky* noted in a post dated November 18, 2025.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in September 2025, the Soviet District Court of Makhachkala partially upheld Sevrinovsky's claim, which sought 200,000 rubles in compensation for moral damages for protests against mobilization, but reduced the compensation amount by 200 times.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs appealed this decision as having been made without its participation, resulting in the case being retried. As a result, on December 15, a judge in the Sovietsky District Court of Makhachkala again ruled that Sevrinovsky had been wrongfully held administratively liable and increased the amount of compensation for moral damages from one thousand rubles to five. The court also ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to reimburse Sevrinovsky for the state fee of three thousand rubles. The court rejected the journalist's remaining demands, the Memorial Human Rights Center* reported on February 16.

* are listed as foreign agents.

** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.