The source defines a foreign agent as "any individual, legal entity, or association without the formation of a legal entity that is engaged in political activity, dissemination of information for an unlimited circle of persons, collection of information about the military activities of the Russian Federation, and at the same time is under foreign influence".

The Russian foreign agent law was first introduced on July 20, 2012 and concerned non-profit organizations engaged in political activities and receiving funding from abroad. Amendments of November 25, 2017 and December 2, 2019 extended the concept of "foreign agent" to media, both individual persons and legal entities. Since December 30, 2022, any natural persons carrying out political activities or purposeful collection of information in the field of military activities can be recognized as a foreign agent.