Embassy comment on the ongoing anti-Russian 'witch hunt' in the UK

The UK authorities have announced the implementation of the so-called Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) in their jurisdiction from 1 July. This mechanism, in particular, compels anyone who intends to carry out any activity on British soil as part of an "arrangement” with Russia — regardless of their nationality — to register this activity under threat of imprisonment.

The British government’s official statements and guidance on this matter contain inaccuracies and contradictions. The wording seems deliberately vague to allow the authorities to define what constitutes an offence as they see fit. However the destructive potential of this action is already clear, especially for the future of the UK itself.

The UK has taken a significant step towards becoming a police state.

Not so far back London felt entitled to criticise other nations for introducing far more moderate initiatives to regulate foreign influence. Such moral lectures now ring hollow.

In a distinctly Orwellian manner, under the pretext of defending democracy, British law enforcement and intelligence agencies are being handed unprecedented tools to undermine rights and freedoms, as well as to prosecute both their own citizens and foreign nationals. Step by step, the country appears to be descending into a Cold War atmosphere, with all its attendant consequences — from instilling fear of an external, albeit fabricated, enemy to fostering a culture of pervasive suspicion reminiscent of McCarthyism, which once shattered lives and human relationships alike.

Out of the blue, another discriminatory barrier has been erected on the path towards restoring Russia-UK relations in the more distant future.

As recently as the summer of 2024, the current Cabinet had the opportunity to launch the process of normalisation with our country by abandoning the Conservatives’ failed policy of confrontation. This would have been entirely in the interests of the British people. However London made a different choice, baselessly labelling Russia an “acute threat to UK national security”. Now, by effectively equating any form of engagement with Russia — including in science, education, charity and language training — with a potential offence, the UK authorities have further cemented Britain’s status as one of the most unfriendly Western jurisdictions. The move leaves little doubt that the UK intends to further escalate its confrontation with Russia.

The motives behind the British government’s decision are clear. Above all, it reflects a recognition of the looming collapse of the “Ukraine project”, which, to London's obvious annoyance, is not being helped by Europe’s reticence in forming the much-vaunted “coalition of the willing”. Moreover, by indulging in fantasies of an omnipresent "Russian threat" and showcasing its own pseudo-patriotic efforts, the UK government is trying to distract public attention from depressing news in far more important areas for Britons — ranging from social benefits to energy and water bills.