‘We don’t have any money’: Russian news outlet asks readers to help pay a 200,000-ruble fine for omitting a musician’s ‘foreign agent’ label
The news outlet Takie Dela has been fined 200,000 rubles for publishing a quote from musician Boris Grebenshchikov without mentioning that Russia has designated him a “foreign agent,” the outlet reported.
Takie Dela, a Russian news outlet, has been hit with a 200,000-ruble fine for failing to mention that musician Boris Grebenshchikov is a "foreign agent." The outlet reported that their lawyer stated the hearing lasted only a minute, and the judge refused to consider their defense. The incident occurred after Takie Dela published a quote from Grebenshchikov in a May 2026 interview with RTVI, where he said, "Russia has a remarkable ability to cast out people who are ready for the wider world."
The editors of Takie Dela explained that they cannot include a "foreign agent" disclaimer for every designated individual in their social media posts, and they are appealing for help to pay the fine. They launched an SOS campaign to collect at least 900,000 rubles in recurring donations, as their budget is already a million rubles short, and they will be unable to pay salaries starting from January or February.
Despite the challenges, the outlet's editors continue to work in Russia. In 2024, T-Bank's payment service stopped processing donations to Takie Dela, and in 2026, their website was blocked.
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