Britain Introduces Foreign Influence Registration for Russian-Linked Activity — Violations May Lead to Prison

Starting July 1, 2025, the United Kingdom will launch a Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) that requires anyone working directly or indirectly with the Russian state to register their activities. Failure to do so will be treated as a criminal offense with possible imprisonment.

Russia joins Iran as the only countries listed under the FIRS’s “specified foreign powers”, a category created to counter threats to national security and democratic institutions. UK authorities cite a series of espionage incidents, phishing attacks targeting MPs, and past events like the Salisbury poisoning as reasons for the escalation.

Criminal Liability for Hidden Ties

According to UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the new scheme responds to "destructive cyberattacks and hostile attempts to interfere" in UK democracy. Foreign Secretary David Lammy added that Britain has already imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia and tightened visa rules — and is now "taking the next step."

Since March 2022, over 2,000 individuals and entities connected to Russia have been sanctioned.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis emphasized that registration will improve transparency, help identify covert foreign influence, and protect UK institutions. The government has published detailed guidance on how to comply.

Enforcement Already Underway: Legal Firms Penalized

In March 2025, the OFSI fined London-based law firm Herbert Smith Freehills CIS LLP £465,000 for transferring £3.9 million to sanctioned Russian banks, including Alfa-Bank, Sberbank, and Sovcombank. Although the firm disclosed the transactions and called them an error, the incident highlighted the UK's growing enforcement stance.

Previously, Integral Concierge Services Ltd was fined £15,000 in August 2024 for 26 payments to a sanctioned individual — the only public case of its kind before 2025.

Yuri Mirzoev, head of national law firm Mitra, noted parallels with US enforcement. In 2022, Hogan Lovells underwent investigation for Russian sanctions violations but avoided fines. In contrast, in 2023, Baker McKenzie was fined $1.5 million for “unintentional payments to sanctioned Russian clients.”

Broad Scope: From Courts to Political Parties

As Forbes reports, the new UK rules cover all cooperation with Russian state bodies, including courts, armed forces, police, intelligence agencies, political parties, and the parliament. Experts view the HSF case as a warning signal, intended to deter future violations.

The FIRS aims to bring transparency to foreign influence, particularly in cases involving adversarial states. Companies and individuals are advised to review their ties to Russia and register relevant activities before July 1.