TASS: Activities of British Council declared as “undesirable in Russia”

Pic.: Sputnik

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has formally declared the activities of the British Council undesirable in Russia, TASS reports.

"The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has made a decision to designate the activities of the British Council international organization as undesirable in the Russian Federation," the body said.

While the British Council claims to be an independent organization, it has based its work around the British government’s priorities, is accountable to parliament and is funded by the UK’s foreign policy agency, the Prosecutor General’s Office said. According to it, "Under the guise of educational and cultural activities and work to organize educational events under the pretext of English-language programs, members of the Council actually promote long-term British interests and values in education, culture and youth policy."

Besides, the British Council has actively supported the LGBT movement outlawed in Russia, and implements projects to steadily discredit Russia’s domestic and foreign policies, Russian prosecutors explained.

The aim is also to "eradicate Russian identity among the populations of former Soviet republics." As part of a consortium with other undesirable organizations, the British Council implements a program of so-called "cultural cooperation" designed to unite the anti-Russian Baltic states.

As the British Council views work with the young generation as its key task, the organization involves members of its Chevening scholarship and fellowship program in a mission to build "a global network of agents of British influence," the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office stated.

The British Council, whose activities have been designated as undesirable in Russia, has been involved in operations of British intelligence services aimed at undermining the sovereignty of independent countries, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said, TASS quotes.

The British Council not only extends London’s influence globally by running programs in the sphere of education, culture and art, but also is directly engaged by Great Britain’s special services in clandestine projects aimed at undermining the sovereignty of independent nations," the FSB explained. The British Council "has been found to participate in clandestine operations of British special services disguised as assistance in conflict resolution, and the promotion of young political leaders and non-traditional Western values," the FSB added.

The FSB conducts work to fight against subversive activities of British organizations and the operations of the British Council as a primary instrument of London’s influence.

"The security service recommends partners from friendly nations to follow Moscow’s example in curbing the functioning of the Council on their soil," the FSB noted.

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