New FSB proposal would apply ‘foreign agent’ designation to anyone who informs foreigners of Russian troop movements

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has published a new draft order that would expand the list of types of information that could be “used to threaten the security of the Russian Federation” if given to foreign entities.

The document proposes adding information about the “transfer, transportation routes, and movement” of Russian troops to the list. The current version of the list refers only to “information about the deployment, organizational structure, armament, and number" of troops.

The FSB last updated the list as part of a new law on “foreign agents” in September 2021. Anyone who engages in “targeted collection” of the types of data included on the list could be added to the Russian Justice Ministry’s list of “foreign agents,” regardless of whether the person is a Russian citizen.

According to Russian law, anybody who meets the criteria of a “foreign agent” is required to submit an application to the Justice Ministry to be added to the corresponding registry. Anyone caught collecting information that “threatens the security” of Russia for a foreign country without notifying the authorities can face up to five years in prison.