Russian Lawmaker Suggests Removing Artists From Foreign Agent List If They 'Repent'

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th May, 2023) A Russian lawmaker appealed to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Thursday to remove Russian artists from the list of foreign agents provided that they publicly repent for their previous actions and donate to humanitarian aid for mobilized citizens participating in the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.�

"(We) believe that the workers of culture who previously condemned the special military operation could be removed from the list of foreign agents as long as they publicly express their solidarity with the people and provide financing for the humanitarian aid for mobilized (citizens)," Dmitry Kuznetsov said in a statement. �

Kuznetsov also urged Mishustin to consider the possibility of appointing an official who would arrange the public demonstration of solidarity with the Russian people by the workers of culture who "repented" their deeds.

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A foreign agent in Russia is a person or an entity deemed by the Russian government to receive funding from abroad while participating in political activities in the country, disseminating information in mass media, or collecting military-technical information within the borders of Russia. The state imposes a number of restrictions and requirements on the activities of foreign agents. Some of the celebrities on the list include actor Artur Smolyaninov, author Dmitry Bykov, rock singer Zemfira Ramazanova, and science fiction author Dmitry Glukhovsky.�