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Russia has declared Yale University an “undesirable organisation,” authorities announced on Tuesday.
This move effectively bans the university from operating within Russia and makes anyone collaborating with it subject to prosecution. It’s part of an accelerating Kremlin crackdown on critics amidst Moscow’s ongoing campaign in Ukraine.
The prosecutor general’s office claimed Yale’s activities aimed at “violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, imposing an international blockade on the state, and undermining its economic foundations.”
They specifically targeted Yale’s School of Global Affairs, accusing it of training opposition activists to organise protests within Russia.
Credit: Forbes
Navalny Link and Expanding “Undesirable” List
The declaration notably comes as late opposition activist Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin who died in prison in February 2024 under unclear circumstances, was a fellow at Yale’s School of Global Affairs.
Yale University now joins a growing list of international organisations and non-profits that Moscow has deemed “undesirable.”
This list includes human rights groups like Amnesty International, cultural organisations such as the British Council, environmental advocates like Greenpeace, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Additionally, independent media outlets like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Meduza have also been added to the list.
