Russian citizens who have left the country following the start of the war in Ukraine and the mobilisation order may be subject to Russia’s “foreign agent” law, Russian senator Andrey Klimov said.
“We need to look closely at the law on monitoring citizens who are under foreign influence: isn’t a person who left to another country under foreign influence? They are. And if they signed a statement that says they condemn everyone here or something of that kind, they have committed a political act, that is, they committed a political act under foreign influence. Can they fall under this law? Absolutely,” Klimov said during a press conference, quoted by TASS.
Such a person should not be trusted with government jobs, the senator said. “I’d be surprised if these people started teaching at state universities and schools,” he added.
Klimov reminded that it is the Russian Ministry of Justice, not him, that makes the call on whether to include someone on the “foreign agent” list. “The Ministry of Justice determines this based off an entire range of criteria, but
if a person ends up on the list, no offence then,”
the senator said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Klimov’s statement is the senator’s personal opinion.
In July 2017, the Russian Federation Council set up a committee on the protection of state sovereignty and prevention of interference in Russia’s domestic affairs, which was headed by senator Klimov. Meanwhile, Novaya Gazeta found out that he had been head of a company registered in Cyprus while he served as Russian State Duma (lower house) deputy, which is against the law. According to the state register of legal entities registered in Cyprus, Klimov handed over the control over his company Bikel Enterprises Ltd to his wife Olga in November 2004. He had been a Russian State Duma deputy for five years prior to the handover.
Klimova headed the company for 11 years, until Bikel Enterprises was liquidated in 2015. Klimov himself stated that he had not been in charge of Bikel Enterprises, that the company had been liquidated a long time ago and that his wife had not headed it either.
Reporters also pointed out that Klimov has a share in a Russian company MIC Alyans whose co-owner is an offshore company from the British Virgin Islands.
Novaya-Europe called senator Klimov to find out how the West had influenced him personally in his business ventures. Here’s a transcript of the conversation.
Novaya-Europe: You made a statement earlier today that Mr. Peskov has already branded a personal opinion, about how people who left Russia are under foreign influence [and therefore can be considered foreign agents]…
Senator Klimov: I get it. What do you want from me?
You had a company called MIC Alyans…
So?
The Russian register of legal entities said that 25% of the shares were owned by you and your wife, 25% by your brother Sergey, [and 50% by a company from the British Virgin Islands].
Wait a second. You’re bringing up some old story that I’ve read before, a very weird one…
It’s the register of legal entities, not a weird story.
Do you get what I’m talking about? Considering what you’ve just asked me, what you’re telling me now doesn’t make sense…
What do you mean, it doesn’t make sense? You didn’t own 25%?
I am telling you once again. Andrey Klimov, a senator of the Russian Federation, is not involved in business activity.
But you had been involved before you became a legislator?
I am 67 years old. I’ve done a lot of stuff.
And you never came under foreign influence?
I have not come under foreign influence. I am not subject to the law that enters into force on 1 December. That’s it. I get what you’re trying to do.