Russia has designated Stanford University as an "undesirable organization"
The Russian Ministry of Justice has added Stanford University to its list of "undesirable organizations."
This was reported by Interfax.
The decision was made by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office. In addition to the university, the list also includes the “Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies” in the U.S. and the German organization “Crisis Modeling for Peace.”
Stanford University, founded in the late 19th century, is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and consistently ranks among the top institutions in global rankings.
Designation as an “undesirable organization” means a ban on activities within the territory of the Russian Federation. Cooperation with such entities carries criminal liability—up to two years of restricted freedom or a fine.
Previously, Russian authorities added other Western universities to this list, including George Washington University, Yale University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Tufts University. The reasons cited included, in particular, support for Ukraine and the dissemination of “misinformation” about Russia.
Founder Pavel Durov stated that the Russian authorities’ attempts to restrict VPN operations led to a massive failure in the national payment system.
Russia ranked second-to-last in the global internet freedom index following increased censorship and blocking measures, including the blocking of the Telegram messaging app.
