Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has ceased operations in Russia after 32 years due to being removed from the country’s register of foreign NGOs by the Justice Ministry, AP News reports.
MSF had provided aid for the homeless, migrants, and patients with tuberculosis and infectious diseases. The aid group had been assisting over 52,000 people displaced by the Ukraine conflict and expressed sadness at being unable to continue its work in Russia. The decision, affecting MSF’s Dutch affiliate, halts their medical aid programs but will maintain a Moscow branch office in place.
The decision comes amid a broader crackdown on international organizations in Russia, which has banned many groups deemed a threat to state security.
