Russia uses concepts of terrorism for domestic repression

This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

ISW writes that over the past two decades, Russia has been expanding the concept of terrorism in Russian legislation. In December of this year, the State Duma proposed new amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which equate sabotage with terrorist acts.

“The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has transitioned from focusing on defining Islamist militant activity in the Caucasus as terrorism to orienting terrorism around the concept of Ukrainian "saboteurs," ISW exprest say.

The Institute noted that the head of the Russian FSB Alexander Bortnikov stated that in 2022 there was an increase in "terrorist activity" throughout Russia, which he linked to the Ukrainian Securiyt Service (SBU), allegedly operating with Western support.

“Russian authorities seem to be weaponizing the backdrop of the war in Ukraine to justify expansions of terrorism legislation under the guise of protecting domestic security. Such measures likely afford Russian security authorities greater latitude in cracking down on domestic dissent,” ISW concludes.