Russia blacklists ‘undesirable’ Ukrainian World Congress

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), the Canada-based assembly of Ukrainian communities abroad, has been branded an “undesirable organization” in a decision by the Russian prosecutor general’s office, which said it posed a threat to “the constitutional framework and security of the Russian Federation.”

The Russian authorities announced the decision late on July 11, adding that the Congress would be included in the official blacklist of “foreign and international non-government organizations” which are unwelcome in Russia.

Such legislation was introduced in Russia in 2015, giving prosecutors the authority to extra-judicially declare foreign and international organizations “undesirable” and therefore prohibit their activities with the country’s territory under penalty of heavy fines and imprisonment.