LONDON (AP) – Britain’s government is placing Russia on the top tier of a government security program aimed at protecting the U.K. from malign foreign influence, the security minister said Tuesday.
Home Office minister Dan Jarvis told lawmakers that anyone or any company “carrying out activity as part of any arrangement” with Russian authorities – including government agencies, armed forces, intelligence services and the parliament – will need to register with the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme from July 1 or face five years in prison.
Russian political parties that are controlled by the Russian government will also need to register before they can carry out activity in the U.K. directly.
The government said the program will be a key tool for the “detection and disruption of harmful activity against our country.”
Iran was the first country to be listed under the program earlier this month. Lawmakers have questioned why China has not been included.
Jarvis cited hostile Russian acts in recent years including the use of the deadly nerve agent Novichok to poison a Russian ex-spy and his daughter in 2018, the targeting of British members of Parliament through cyber attacks and other espionage tactics.
“And clearly Russia´s illegal invasion of Ukraine has highlighted its intent to undermine European and global security,” he added.
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