Russia has designated the British Council as an “undesirable organization,” according to Radio Liberty, citing information from a Russian authority.
In a statement, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office claimed that the British Council allegedly “uses educational and cultural activities as a cover… under the pretext of teaching English… to promote long-term British interests and values in the fields of education, culture, and youth policy.”
Furthermore, the agency accused the organization of “actively promoting and supporting the LGBT movement, which is banned in the Russian Federation.”
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) also issued a separate statement, alleging that the British Council is “used by British intelligence agencies to carry out operations against the sovereignty of other countries.” The FSB recommended that “friendly” countries suspend the British Council’s operations on their territories.
The British Council is a UK organization founded in 1934 to foster cooperation in education, culture, and the arts between the United Kingdom and other countries. It operates in over 200 countries and territories.
One of its main areas of activity is English-language instruction. The British Council participates in organizing IELTS tests, funds international educational programs, and fosters cultural ties between the UK and other countries.
As noted, the British Council is not currently active in Russia. Its last remaining office in Moscow was closed in 2018 amid a sharp deterioration in UK-Russia relations. The organization had operated in Russia for more than 20 years.
The British Council has not yet commented on the Russian government’s decision. In recent years, Russian authorities have designated over 200 international organizations as “undesirable,” including major human rights, academic, humanitarian institutions and media outlets—Radio Svoboda among them.
