The key facts

  • Russia has launched a registry of “temporary restrictive measures” for citizens who have left the country and been held liable in administrative cases or convicted under Criminal Code articles
  • The measures include refusal of consular services and a foreign passport, blocking of bank accounts, and a ban on registering real estate and vehicles
  • The registry lists Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Ekaterina Schulmann, Yevgeny Chichvarkin, Boris Zimin and others

The registry has come into operation

Russia has put into effect a registry of “temporary restrictive measures” targeting citizens who have left the country. This is reported by DW, whose data is cited by Kun.uz. The registry lists a person's date and place of birth, tax number, personal insurance account, and the grounds for applying the restrictions. The measures target Russians who have left the country and who have been held administratively liable or convicted under articles of the Criminal Code — including cases of “discrediting” the army, violating the “foreign agents” legislation, participating in the activities of “undesirable organizations,” and open calls to violate the country's territorial integrity.

Who is on the list

According to DW, the registry includes, alongside former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky, political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann and entrepreneur Yevgeny Chichvarkin, the philanthropist Boris Zimin, opposition politician Vladimir Milov, lawyer Mark Feygin, politician Leonid Gozman and journalist Michael Naki. Also added to the list are human rights activist Anastasia Burakova, former municipal deputy Yelena Kotenochkina, and former activists of the Open Russia movement Anastasia Shevchenko and Alexei Nesterenko.

What restrictions are provided for

According to the publication, the list of “temporary restrictive measures” includes: refusal to provide state services within Russia and consular services abroad, including refusal to issue a foreign passport or a power of attorney; refusal to issue credits and loans; a ban on registering rights to real estate or vehicles; a ban on registering as an individual entrepreneur or self-employed person; blocking of bank accounts and restriction of the ability to use banking applications.

Legal basis and assessments

The relevant bills were passed by the State Duma in first reading in December 2025, and in second and third readings in July 2026. In August, the president signed them. The human rights organization First Department equated these measures with the effective deprivation of civil rights of Russians who have emigrated, while the outlet Meduza assessed the consequences of being added to the registry as “civil death.”

Why this matters

The registry directly affects Russians living abroad: from the measures listed it follows that they may be left without valid foreign passports, bank accounts, and the ability to execute powers of attorney or property transactions in Russia. For citizens of other countries, including Uzbekistan, who have dealings with such persons, this means risks in transactions involving their Russian real estate and accounts. It remains unknown on what principle the list will be expanded further and whether a procedure for removal from the registry is provided — sources do not disclose this.