Writer Akunin, journalist Minkin declared foreign agents in Russia

MOSCOW. Jan 12 (Interfax) - The Russian Justice Ministry has added writer Boris Akunin (Chkhartishvili), who has left Russia, and journalist Alexander Minkin to the foreign agents register, the ministry said on its website on Friday.

"Chkhartishvili spoke out against the special military operation in Ukraine, disseminated false information aimed at forming a negative image of Russia and the Russian Armed Forces. He was involved in fundraisers for the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, Minkin was a respondent on information websites provided by foreign agents and foreign media, "disseminated false information on decisions made by Russian bodies of public authority and policies pursued by them. He spoke out against the special military operation in Ukraine."

The ministry has also designated blogger Andrei Kurshin, municipal deputy from Yoshkar-Ola Anton Sokolov, and the Kholod media outlet as foreign agents.