The UK government will require individuals acting on behalf of Russia in the United Kingdom to openly declare their activities starting 1 July 2025, according to an announcement on the British Government website.
This change comes as Britain officially introduces a new tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which now includes Russia. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in criminal prosecution.
Russia becomes the second country added to this tier, following Iran's inclusion announced in March.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said. that the Kremlin has been responsible for unacceptable threats to The Uk national security for a long time - from damaging cyber-attacks, malign attempts to interfere in our democratic processes and attempted assassinations in this country.
"Our new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme gives us the power to take much stronger action against any Russian threat. The new measures will make it harder for Russia to conduct hostile acts against us in future and demonstrate once again this government’s unshakable commitment to keep our country," Cooper added.
Parliament has been informed that necessary regulations for the scheme's full launch have already been submitted. The complete implementation is scheduled for 1 July 2025.
The launch will also include a political tier covering all states, allowing the government to better understand the extent of foreign influence on the country's political system.
The political tier requires registration of any political influence activities in Britain conducted at the direction of a foreign state. This will enable MPs to verify whether someone is acting on behalf of a foreign state to make informed decisions about engagement.
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