Transnational repression by Russia

Short description: Efforts by the government of the Russian Federation to control its diaspora and exiles.

Transnational repression by Russia refers to efforts by the Russian government to control its diaspora and exiles. Transnational repression targets former insiders and individuals perceived as threats to the government's security. The methods include assassination, manipulation of the Interpol notice system, and surveillance. Ramzan Kadyrov, head of Russia's Chechen Republic, conducts a total repression campaign against Chechen exiles.[1] As of 2024, Russia has focused its repression on anti-war and other political activists as well as journalists, and is one of the biggest perpetrators of transnational repression in the world.[2][3]

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 2 Methods of repression
* 2.1 Assassination
* 2.2 Interpol notice
* 2.3 Surveillance and hacking
* 2.4 Russian communities abroad
* 2.5 Domestically focused
* 2.6 Campaign against Chechens
* 3 Notable cases
* 4 Responses
* 5 See also
* 6 References

## Background

Freedom House has documented at least 854 direct, physical incidents of transnational repression globally from 2014 to 2022.[4] 14 governments have used Interpol notices in detaining and deporting individuals. Russia accounted for 31% of such incidents. Russia's campaign heavily relies on assassination, targeting former insiders and individuals that the regime perceives as threats to its security.[5] Assassinations made up one quarter of all acts of transnational repression conducted by the Russian government, while one-third of all assassinations globally were committed by Russia.[1][6][7] According to a February 2026 report by the Montreal Institute for Global Security, Russia has engaged in transnational repression in Canada through a combination of intimidation, surveillance, cyber operations, and influence campaigns.[8]

## Methods of repression

### Assassination

In 2021, Freedom House reported 26 assassinations or attempted assassinations globally since 2014. The Russian transnational repression campaign accounted for seven of them. Additionally, Russia is also responsible for assaulting and detaining its nationals abroad as well as conducting renditions and unlawful deportations.[1]

Freedom House found that the Kremlin tends to target individuals who possibly defected to member states of NATO and cooperated with those governments' intelligence agencies, ones considered to have been involved in armed conflict with Russia in the past, or those whose political or business activities conflict with the security services. It has demonstrated a willingness to take the life of perceived threats at least in Ukraine, Germany, Bulgaria, and the U.K.[1]

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, that list includes military defectors.[9]

### Interpol notice

The Kremlin also harasses and detains its nationals in exile by manipulating and abusing the Interpol notice system. A significant case was its targeting of Bill Browder, a whistleblower who campaigned to sanction officials involved in Sergei Magnitsky’s murder, corruption, and human rights violations. He was placed on Interpol’s ‘wanted list’ by Russian authorities.[10]

Russia is responsible for 38% of public Red Notices globally. Due to a lack of transparency at the Interpol, it is challenging to determine how the government is able to use this notice system to such an extensive degree. The government has also been able to use Interpol's Red Notices in detaining individuals who reside in the U.S. for extensive periods of time. Due to Red Notices from Russia, there have been asylum seekers who have spent over one year in ICE detention.[1][11][12]

In 2021, governments in Russia, the People's Republic of China, Turkey, and Bahrain managed to have their nationals detained in Morocco, Poland, Serbia, Kenya, and Italy based on Red Notices. Most of these detained individuals are involved in political activism or civic activism.[7]

### Surveillance and hacking

Russian nationals abroad who are high-profile critics of the government's politics are subjected to surveillance and hacking campaigns.[1][13]

### Russian communities abroad

The Kremlin also exerts control over Russian communities abroad, such as Russian cultural institutions, the Russian Orthodox Church, and Russian-language media. Since the Soviet Union's dissolution, the government again gained control over certain official cultural institutions that had a presence abroad. In 2006, under Vladimir Putin’s leadership, the Orthodox Church reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, a church that emerged after the Russian Revolution. In 2008, the government launched Rossotrudnichestvo to "coordinate activities meant to facilitate engagement with the diaspora, as well as other formal 'soft power' activities," as reported by Freedom House.[1]

### Domestically focused

Unlike other governments that commit transnational repression, the Kremlin does not try to control the entirety of the Russian diaspora through coercion. It instead focuses on activism repression at home and controlling the information environment so that exiles are unable to reach domestic citizens.[1] The government also will confiscate property, file spurious charges, and threaten colleagues or family members who remain in Russia.[14] Indigenous activists have been a significant target for repression.[14]

### Campaign against Chechens

Unlike other Russian nationals, citizens from Russia's Chechen Republic (Chechnya) face a total transnational repression campaign. This campaign is directed by Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Republic, with the approval of Russia's central government. Inside the republic, Kadyrov rules with terror and brutality to "ensure political stability." The regime is marked by torture, extrajudicial killings, anti-gay purges, murders of journalists, murders of human rights advocates, and enforced disappearances.[15] Chechnya's authorities have subjected hundreds of citizens to such violence.[16] As a result of such severe repression, tens of thousands of Chechen citizens fled the nation. Many of them seek asylum in European countries.[1]

Kadyrov's repression follows Chechen exiles. This began when two assassinations took place in early 2009. Sulim Yamadayev, a former military commander, was assassinated in Dubai. Umar Israilov, a former bodyguard who exposed Kadyrov's brutality, was assassinated in Austria before he could testify in court.[17] Chechen dissidents outside of Russia have then been "killed and attacked at alarming rates," as reported by Freedom House. Kadyrov has also publicly made his intent to control the diaspora clear.[1]

## Notable cases

* In 2006, Alexander Litvinenko, a former intelligence officer, was killed via radiation poisoning.[18] He was poisoned by radioactive polonium-210 and died three weeks later in London. Investigations discovered that he was poisoned by two Russian citizens who acted under the Federal Security Service's direction.[19][1]
* In 2018, Sergei Skripal, a former intelligence officer, and his daughter Yulia were subjected to an attempted assassination where a nerve agent was involved.[20][1]
* Journalist Galina Timchenko previously worked for a Russian newspaper and then an online media outlet, but was terminated after she published material regarding Russia's Crimea annexation. She then relocated to Latvia and cofounded online media outlet Meduza. Meduza was deemed an "undesirable organization" by Russia in 2023, which would subject anyone working with it to criminal prosecution. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the outlet's office has been vandalized and subjected to digital attacks, and Timchenko's personal device has also been attacked.[21][22]

## Responses

* In 2021, Turkey arrested six individuals who had ties to the Russian government for preparing “armed actions targeting Chechen dissidents.”[7]
* In March 2022, governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. called upon Interpol to suspend the Russian state's access to the systems.[7]
* In October 2021, the U.S. updated the licensing regulations of the Commerce Department, restricting the sale of hardware or software that allowed for spyware's use or its development to nations that engage in violations of human rights, including transnational repression, such as the Russian government.[7]
* In March 2023, the Transnational Repression Policy Act was introduced by a group of bipartisan Senators.[23]
* In 2022, the U.K. government established a Defending Democracy Taskforce. One of this Taskforce's goals was to address foreign states’ efforts to suppress free expression in the diaspora communities.[24]
* To better trace and prosecute transnational repression, the FBI in the U.S. has adopted a definition of the term, and launched a website for victims to report such acts by foreign governments.[24]
* In 2024, the United States sanctioned Russian officials for violations and abuses of human rights related to its war in Ukraine.[25]

## See also

* Conspiracy against rights
* Extraterritorial operation
* Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
* Suspicious deaths of notable Russians in 2022–2024
* Transnational repression
* Interpol § Abusive requests for Interpol arrests

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "Russia Case Study | Understanding Transnational Repression" (in en). https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression/russia.
2. ↑ Townsend, Mark (2024-02-16). "China, Russia and Cambodia top list of regimes targeting critics in exile" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/feb/16/china-russia-and-cambodia-top-list-of-regimes-targeting-critics-in-exile.
3. ↑ Pikulicka-Wilczewska, Agnieszka (2024-10-28). "'They want to show no one can escape': how the long arm of Russia is reaching out for Putin critics in exile" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/oct/28/long-arm-russia-putin-critics-in-exile.
4. ↑ "Still Not Safe: Transnational Repression in 2022". April 2023. https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/FH_TransnationalRepression2023_0.pdf.
5. ↑ "Autocracies are exporting autocracy to their diasporas". The Economist. 29 February 2024. ISSN 0013-0613. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/02/29/autocracies-are-exporting-autocracy-to-their-diasporas.
6. ↑ "Russia" (in en-US). https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/russia/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Defending Democracy in Exile". 2022. https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Complete_TransnationalRepressionReport2022_NEW_0.pdf.
8. ↑ Gurski, Phil; Lamensch, Marie (February 2026). "Transnational Repression in Canada". https://migsinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Transnational-repression-in-Canada_MIGS.pdf.
9. ↑ "He defected by flying a Russian helicopter into Ukraine. He was found dead in Spain." (in en). https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-defector-maxim-kuzminov-killing-60-minutes/.
10. ↑ "Russia Manipulates Interpol against Browder" (in en). https://freedomhouse.org/article/russia-manipulates-interpol-against-browder.
11. ↑ Bertrand, Natasha (2020-09-03). "He fought corruption in Russia. ICE wants to deport him." (in en). https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/03/gregory-duralev-ice-deportation-408607.
12. ↑ "Russia, Iran Among Leading States Practicing Repression Abroad, Says Rights Watchdog" (in en). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2021-02-04. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-iran-freedom-house-abroad-assassinations/31085400.html.
13. ↑ "AP: 'Digital Hit List' Provides Evidence Of Hackers' Links To Kremlin". November 2, 2017. https://www.npr.org/2017/11/02/561521906/ap-digital-hit-list-provides-evidence-of-hackers-links-to-kremlin.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Henry, Laura A. (2024-01-16). "Long after Indigenous activists flee Russia, they continue to face government pressure to remain silent" (in en-US). https://theconversation.com/long-after-indigenous-activists-flee-russia-they-continue-to-face-government-pressure-to-remain-silent-220133.
15. ↑ Lokshina, Tanya (2017-05-26). ""They Have Long Arms and They Can Find Me"" (in en). Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/05/26/they-have-long-arms-and-they-can-find-me/anti-gay-purge-local-authorities-russias. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
16. ↑ "No justice in sight for grave crimes in Chechnya" (in en-GB). https://www.ecchr.eu/en/case/no-justice-in-sight-for-grave-crimes-in-chechnya/.
17. ↑ Chivers, C. J. (31 January 2009). "Slain Exile Detailed Cruelty of the Ruler of Chechnya". https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/world/europe/01torture.html.
18. ↑ "The Litvinenko Inquiry". January 2016. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/493860/The-Litvinenko-Inquiry-H-C-695-web.pdf.
19. ↑ "Transnational repression as a growing threat to the rule of law and human rights". https://rm.coe.int/transnational-repression-as-a-growing-threat-to-the-rule-of-law-and-hu/1680ab5b07.
20. ↑ "Novichok nerve agent use in Salisbury: UK government response, March to April 2018" (in en). 2018-04-18. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/novichok-nerve-agent-use-in-salisbury-uk-government-response.
21. ↑ "A Light That Cannot Be Extinguished". https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/TNR_Journalism_Report_12.2023_Digital.pdf.
22. ↑ "How Authoritarian Regimes Go After Exiled Journalists" (in en). TIME. 2023-12-06. https://time.com/6342534/transnational-repression-freedom-house/. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
23. ↑ Weine, Kate (2023-03-24). "US Lawmakers Tackle Transnational Repression" (in en). https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/24/us-lawmakers-tackle-transnational-repression.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "The Long Arm of Transnational Repression" (in en). TIME. 2023-10-02. https://time.com/6319450/transnational-repression-nijjar-khashoggi/. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
25. ↑ "Russia" (in en-US). https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/russia/.

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