News

Russia ratifies adoption treaty with France

President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on the ratification of a treaty on cooperation with France in adoption, whereby a Russian-born child may only be adopted by a foreign family if adoptive parents cannot be found in Russia. The law was published and came into force on Monday.

13:41 30.07.2012

Ukrainian Parliament refuses to cancel Russian language bill

At its extraordinary meeting on Monday, the Ukrainian Parliament refused to cancel the law granting the Russian language official status in a number of the countrys regions.

13:05 30.07.2012

Law on website blacklist enters into force

President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill into law establishing a list of domains and websites featuring unlawful content. The bill was submitted to the State Duma in early June and adopted in the first reading on July 6.

10:16 30.07.2012

U.S. House of Representatives committee supports Jackson-Vanik withdrawal

The House Committee on Ways and Means supported an act during its meeting on Thursday repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which restricts US-Russian trade, thereby establishing normal trade relations with Russia.

12:20 27.07.2012

Officials concealing foreign bank accounts may be held liable

Members of United Russia are planning to submit a draft law to the State Duma which will obligate officials, MPs and governors to report on the opening of foreign bank accounts and the acquisition of real property and stock abroad.

12:41 26.07.2012

U.K. Foreign Office criticizes new Russian law on NGOs

The U.K. Foreign Office has criticized the new law on the activity of foreign NGOs in Russia, saying that the law will generate mistrust in the public and create unnecessary barriers in Russian civil society.

12:05 26.07.2012

New Russian laws curb freedom of the press, says U.S.

The US State Department believes that freedom of the press in Russia has been curbed following the State Duma's adoption of laws dealing with unlawful content on the Internet and NGOs financed from abroad.

10:29 26.07.2012

Activists seek Obama's opinion on foreign agent status of Russian NGOs

Moscow Helsinki Group leader Ludmila Alexeeva and Movement For Human Rights Director Lev Ponomarev have asked U.S. President Barack Obama in an open letter if their organizations are U.S. agents.

17:16 25.07.2012

NGO law tailored to browbeat human rights activists - U.S. State Department

The United States believes that the new Russian law on non-profit organizations is intended to intimidate and persecute human rights and civil society activists.

10:17 25.07.2012

Russia to join WTO on August 23

Russia will become a full member of the World Trade Organization on August 23. Russia will undertake all obligations under the agreement as a WTO member state.

13:01 24.07.2012

Top news

Russian courts allowed not to implement rulings of Europe's human rights court

Russia's Supreme Court proposed not to implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

12:53 09.12.2025

Redomiciliation stalls: How sanctions are shaping new practices for Russian companies

The mechanism for redomiciliating foreign companies to Russian jurisdiction, in effect since 2018, has recently encountered serious obstacles. Taking into account the background of sanctions-related restrictions introduced in 2022 through 2025, it has become extremely difficult to achieve the goal. The situation gave rise to the phenomenon of dual domicile and led to a rise in the number of new litigations, both in Russia and abroad.

12:32 09.12.2025

Soldiers jailed for killing US journalist Russell Bentley

A military court in Donetsk sentenced three soldiers to up to 12 years in prison for torturing and killing Russell Bentley, a 63-year-old U.S. national who collaborated with Sputnik news agency.

14:05 08.12.2025