Fear of “sudden unrest or an unpredictable event”. Here’s why Russian Supreme Court designated Navalny’s movement as a “terrorist organisation”

The ruling was delivered by Judge Oleg Nefedov, who has previously signed off on bans of the “International Social LGBT Movement” and the “Freedom of Russia” Legion, a paramilitary group of Russian citizens fighting on the Ukrainian side. This latest decision targets the US-registered non-profit corporation, also known as ACF International, which the court identified as the successor to the previously banned organisations led by Navalny.

In its ruling, the court accepted the Prosecutor General’s argument that the ACF’s “actual goal” is “the disruption of the balance of interests of political parties, public associations, and the business community”. The judgment further accuses the group of seeking the “creation of conditions” for a fast-paced “colour revolution” in Russia “in connection with sudden unrest or an unpredictable event following the example of the ‘Arab Spring’.”

The court alleged that the organisation’s activities pose a threat to national security and the constitutional order. Specifically, the verdict cites the ACF’s involvement in “interference” with Russian elections through its “Smart Voting” project. It also points to the “consolidation of various groups from among political emigrants and supporters located in Russia” to destabilise the situation domestically and “to compromise the actions of Russian state authorities before the country’s population and the international community.”

The Supreme Court appears particularly concerned that the ACF is “increasing political turbulence and pressure on Russian business elites to initiate processes for an unconstitutional change of power in the country and its subsequent seizure by the non-systemic opposition.” The ruling further accuses the group of “instigating protest moods among the population, including by means of discrediting state authorities and the internal and external policies conducted by them, as well as through the dissemination of false information about the causes and course of the special military operation […], organisation of strikes and sabotage on the ground.”

The logic behind the “terrorism” charge is quite peculiar, relying heavily on a prior verdict from June 2025 against Navalny’s ally, Leonid Volkov, for leading an “extremist community” (the ACF) and “justifying terrorism” online. Volkov, whom the document suggests controls the organisation despite stepping down as “President” (which is an incorrect title) in September 2025 , lives in exile, like many of Navalny’s other associates. Yet, the ruling asserts that he continues to act as the foundation’s executive and representative, and that his crimes were committed “within the framework of the activities and in the interests” of the ACF. Consequently, the court concluded that the ACF itself is a “terrorist organisation”.

In a decision riddled with errors, one particular point of research interest stands out: Judge Nefedov refers to The End of History and the Last Man author Francis Fukuyama, who sits on the ACF’s advisory board, as an “American political scientist of Japanese descent”. Fukuyama, who comes from a family of Japanese immigrants, was born and raised in the United States and has openly stated that he never even learned to speak Japanese.

The “terrorist” label is the most severe designation in the Russian legal system and places Navalny’s associates on the same legal footing as groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. 

The most immediate practical consequences of this designation may come not from Russian law enforcement, but from Western financial institutions via KYC compliance procedures. As financial institutions rely on automated background checks, they often inadvertently enforce Russian politically motivated blacklists.

For instance, in July, Leonid Volkov said that the European digital bank Revolut had notified him of an impending account closure, citing compliance with “court orders or instructions from a competent authority”. Although Revolut later restored the account and apologised for the “error”, Volkov explained that the issue lies with third-party KYC providers that aggregate global data, including Russian “terrorist” lists, triggering automatic freezes. Similar banking blocks have previously affected other ACF employees, as well as Russian activists and journalists who are now based on Europe.