Finnish businessman Seppo Remes, co-owner of a Swedish company which invests in Russian electricity assets, said he had been denied entry into Russia for five years after receiving a warning from the Federal Security Service.
Remes, who is on the board of several Russian electricity companies,said late on Tuesday by SMS that he had been banned under "the law on posing a threat to defense, state security etc."
Local media said he had tried to return to Russia, where he had lived for more than 20 years, on March 22 but was denied entry despite having a valid working visa until November.
Russian newspaper Kommersant, quoting Remes' friends and also the businessman, said he had been accused by the FSB of threatening Russian security by collecting information on state energy companies.
The FSB — a successor of the Soviet-era KGB security police — declined immediate comment.
The newspaper said Remes, an ally of reformist former deputy prime minister and head of state-owned nanotechnology agency Rusnano, Anatoly Chubais, had been warned on March 11 about certain "inadmissable actions" that might constitute crimes.
The document was signed by a senior counter-intelligence official at the FSB.
Remes denied the charges, Russian newspaper Vedomosti said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
