RISE Moldova has been officially banned in the Russian Federation, becoming the first organization from the Republic of Moldova whose activities have been declared “undesirable” on Russian territory.
The decision prohibits the activity of our newsroom in Russia. Russian citizens who collaborate with RISE Moldova or provide financial support face fines of up to 500,000 rubles or prison sentences of up to six years.
The ruling was adopted by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation on 29 January 2026 and published by the Ministry of Justice on 10 February 2026.
Under the Russian Criminal Code, participation in the activities of an organization designated as “undesirable,” if the individual has previously been subjected to administrative penalties for similar actions, is punishable by fines ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 rubles, compulsory labor, or imprisonment of up to four years. Financing or fundraising for such an organization carries penalties of up to five years in prison.
Organizing the activities of an “undesirable” organization is punished more severely, with prison terms of up to six years, along with a possible ban on holding certain positions or engaging in specific activities for up to ten years.
Russia’s official list of “undesirable organizations” currently includes 329 international entities, most of them legally registered in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Over the past decade, RISE Moldova has published dozens of investigations concerning Russia and its regional influence. These include The Russian Laundromat (the $20 billion money-laundering scheme routed through Moldovan banks), “Dear Compatriots” (on Russian propaganda), #Kremlinovici, The Russian Fleet in Moldova, and investigations related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We have also documented Moldovan oligarchs and politicians who have taken refuge in Russia and operate discreetly in alignment with Kremlin interests, as well as individuals and companies assisting Moscow in circumventing international sanctions.
RISE Moldova
