(Moscow) Russia declared the environmental protection NGO Greenpeace “undesirable” on Friday, a measure which de facto prohibits its activities in the country, in the midst of all-out repression since the Kremlin offensive in Ukraine.
In a statement, the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office claimed that Greenpeace International, headquartered in the Netherlands, posed a “threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security” of Russia and sought to “overthrow the power in an unconstitutional manner”.
The prosecution also accuses Greenpeace of encouraging “interference” in Russia’s internal affairs, of seeking to “undermine its economic foundations” and of financing Russian organizations qualified by the authorities as “foreign agents”.
Greenpeace is also accused of conducting “regularly” “information campaigns” to “prevent the realization of profitable infrastructure and energy projects” for Russia, again according to the prosecution.
The prosecution also accused Greenpeace of carrying out “anti-Russian propaganda” and of calling for “strengthening sanctions” against Russia since the start of the military campaign in Ukraine.
The Russian branch of Greenpeace, opened in 1992, carries out operations in the country to raise awareness of climate change, to fight against forest fires, against pollution, and to preserve endangered animal species.
During the forest fires that regularly ravage Russia, one of the countries most exposed to the effects of climate change, professionals and volunteers from Greenpeace intervene, for example, to push the authorities to act.
In Russia, according to the specialized NGO OVD-Info, organizations classified as “undesirable” are prohibited from opening structures, carrying out projects there and disseminating information there.
Since the beginning of the offensive in Ukraine, the Russian authorities have greatly accelerated the repression of critical voices.
Far from being confined to the political opposition, this repression affects all areas, such as cultural circles and environmental organizations.
In March, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) was classified in Russia as a “foreign agent”, an infamous label that greatly complicates its activities in the country.