Russia Designates Former Foreign Minister as a Foreign Agent

On Saturday, Russia designated former Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev as a foreign agent.

Kozyrev, who served as Foreign Minister under former President Boris Yeltsin until 1996, was nicknamed “Mr. Yes” for his perceived eagerness to accept Western proposals during his tenure. He also inspired the term Kozyrevshina in Russian diplomatic circles—a derogatory term used to describe the act of prioritizing foreign interests over one’s own national interests.

He moved to the United States in 2010 and has since been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In 2020, Kozyrev criticized former U.S. President Barack Obama for what he saw as a weak response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. By 2022, he had become an outspoken critic of Russia’s “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine and publicly supported the supply of NATO weapons to Ukrainian forces. He also called on Russian diplomats around the world to resign in protest of the war.

In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Justice said Kozyrev “disseminated false information about decisions made by the Russian authorities and the policies they pursue, as well as false information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Armed Forces.” Kozyrev has regularly posted commentary on X (formerly Twitter), speculating about President Putin’s weakened position in Moscow, potential coup scenarios, and Russia’s military setbacks.

Kozyrev, widely associated with the pro-Western, post-Soviet 1990s, enjoys a favorable reputation in the West. As a close contemporary of Boris Yeltsin—himself often idealized in the West as a champion of liberal democracy—Kozyrev is viewed abroad as a symbol of Russia’s brief flirtation with Western integration, a sentiment not widely shared within Russia.