Moscow accused of using 'foreign agent' term to manipulate opinion

Moscow is succeeding in manipulating public opinion by using the "foreign agent" designation as a catch-all term, according to British analysts on Tuesday.

This was indicated by new polling conducted by the state's public opinion research centre, Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in its daily update on the war in Ukraine.

A recent poll by the centre found that 61% of those surveyed regarded the "foreign agents" to be traitors who disseminate lies about Russia.

The British MoD said that measures broadening foreign agent legislation since the invasion "significantly narrow the information space within Russia, making it increasingly difficult to articulate any viewpoint, including dissenting about the war, which deviates from the official line."

Russia's judiciary brands wields the label "foreign agent" as a weapon against both individuals and organizations.

Once labelled foreign agents, many individuals or organizations fight for their existence because they end up losing supporters, business partners and income.

Those designated as foreign agents include organizations such as independent election watchdog Golos and individuals such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, as the Kremlin cracks down on critics.

The MoD releases a daily update on the situation in Ukraine. Moscow dismisses the releases as pro-Ukraine and anti-Russia propaganda.