On Friday evening, Russia’s Ministry of Justice labeled a well-known author as a “foreign agent” due to his disapproval of Moscow’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

Boris Akunin, whose real name is Grigori Chkhartishvili and was born in Georgia, was known for writing popular detective stories set in historical times. However, his success in Russia came to an end when the government accused him of expressing anti-Russian sentiments that they deemed unacceptable.

The Ministry of Justice stated that Chkhartishvili opposed Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and was accused of spreading false and negative information about Russia, as well as raising funds for the Ukrainian military.

The author is 67 years old and resides in Britain.

The term “foreign agent” has a negative association from the Soviet era and requires individuals to disclose their status as foreign agents on social media and other platforms. This also subjects them to demanding financial reporting obligations.

Several other authors and cultural figures who have criticized the Ukrainian conflict have been given the same label by the government.

The works of “Boris Akunin”, featuring the renowned Tsarist-era detective Erast Fandorin, have been taken off the shelves in Russia due to his inclusion in a list of individuals accused of terrorism or extremism by the authorities.

Chkhartishvili openly expresses his disagreement with Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict and jokingly addressed his classification as a foreign agent on a social media platform.

The individual stated that he was declared a foreign agent today. He expressed disbelief at being labeled a terrorist and extremist. He compared himself to Bin Laden, who received a parking ticket.