The United Kingdom's Defence Ministry claimed in its latest update on the conflict in Ukraine released on Wednesday that Russia is introducing new laws on political conduct to "prevent greater domestic dissent" with its ongoing military operation, which continues to "increasingly impacts Russians’ everyday lives."
The update came after Russian President Vladimir Putin adjusted his country's laws on foreign agents, changing the definition of such individuals from those just receiving funding from abroad to include those that are "merely under undefined influence or pressure of foreign actors."
"The new laws will further extend the repressive powers available to the Russian state. This continues a trend since Putin returned to the presidency in 2012, but which has dramatically accelerated since the invasion of Ukraine," the ministry concluded.
