Russia Labels Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation as Terrorists: A New Phase in Political Repression

On Thursday, Russia’s Supreme Court ruled to classify Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation as a terrorist organization, intensifying the long-standing crackdown on the opposition leader’s network and subjecting its members and supporters to even more severe consequences.

The ruling specifically focused on the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF), Inc., a U.S.-registered organization that has acted as the primary platform for Navalny’s movement since 2022. This decision replaces the original Anti-Corruption Foundation, referred to by its Russian abbreviation FBK, which was labeled an “undesirable organization” in 2021.

Justice Oleg Nefyodov of the Russian Supreme Court stated that ACF’s objectives and actions are «designed to promote, justify and support terrorism» while announcing the verdict.

Nefyodov has previously overseen cases banning the so-called “international LGBT movement” and removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations in Russia.

The hearing took place behind closed doors, and the court mandated that the designation take immediate effect.

In response, ACF denounced the ruling as an illegal extension of politically motivated labels applied to them, such as “foreign agent” and “undesirable organization.”

The organization stated, “The true terrorists are Vladimir Putin and his associates—the ones who instigate wars, kill civilians and political adversaries, and imprison dissenters.”

They described the new designation as a political maneuver aimed at hindering fundraising efforts and silencing criticism, cautioning that independent media and human rights organizations could soon experience similar treatment.

When the case against ACF was initiated in October, Amnesty International warned that branding the group as terrorists could trigger widespread retribution, putting anyone involved with or donating to ACF at risk of prison sentences that could reach life imprisonment.

Reports indicate that Russian authorities have opened at least 114 criminal investigations linked to donations made to Navalny-associated organizations from 2021 to mid-October 2025.

Pressure on Navalny’s movement has persisted even after his mysterious death in a remote Arctic prison in February 2024. His supporters claim that unreleased laboratory tests indicate he was poisoned, a charge the Kremlin denies.