The Russian Ministry of Justice declared businessman Oleg Tinkov and actor Nikita Kukushkin “foreign agents”

The Russian Ministry of Justice added Gogol Center actor Nikita Kukushkin and Tinkoff Bank founder Oleg Tinkov to the register of “foreign agents.” Information about this appeared on the department's website.

The register also includes journalist Anna Narinskaya, philosopher Yulia Sineoka and activist Aslan Artsuev.

All these people, according to the Ministry of Justice, “took part in the creation of messages and materials of foreign agents for an unlimited circle of people” or “participated as a respondent on an information platform provided by a foreign agent.” In addition, each of them “lives outside the Russian Federation,” the department notes.

On July 20, the UK lifted sanctions against Oleg Tinkov. This is the first time London has lifted restrictions against a major Russian businessman. In October 2022, Oleg Tinkov renounced Russian citizenship.

At the end of April, the family of the founder of Tinkoff sold its 35 percent stake in the bank to the investment company Interros of Vladimir Potanin.

The businessman later said that he was forced to get rid of his share after publishing a post with an anti-war position on Instagram. He claimed that the Russian presidential administration threatened to nationalize the bank if Tinkov did not sever ties with it.