The Russian Ministry of Justice has recently added the “Feminist Anti-War Resistance” movement to its list of foreign and international non-governmental organizations deemed “undesirable” within the country. According to Meduza, this decision was recorded on April 25th under entry number 159.
The Feminist Anti-War Resistance (FAS) was established by Russian feminists on the day after the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine. The organization aims to shed light on grassroots anti-war initiatives and actions, with its main objective being to overcome information blockade and spread awareness about the war in Ukraine. Despite the risks involved, activists participating in protests have continued to work towards their goals.
Following its inclusion in the “undesirable” list, representatives of FAS have sought legal counsel. Previously, in December 2022, the Ministry of Justice designated FAS as a “foreign agent,” with one of its founders, Daria Serenko, also being identified as such in January 2023. Notably, Serenko was later placed on the wanted list by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, but no clear reasons for suspicion were given as no prior criminal charges had been disclosed. Currently, Serenko is outside of Russia.