Russian prosecutors concluded that the activities of the U.S. university allegedly pose a threat to the “national security and sovereignty”.
The office claimed that the institution “violates Russia’s territorial integrity,” “contributes to its international isolation,” and “undermines the economic foundations of the state.”
Under Russian law, “undesirable organizations” are banned from operating in the country. Individuals who cooperate with such entities or participate in their programs can face up to six years in prison.
Special attention in the decision was given to Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. According to the prosecutors, this department allegedly “trains opposition leaders” and prepares individuals who later participate in protest activity inside Russia.
The statement also referenced alleged connections between certain graduates of the Jackson School and the Anti-Corruption Foundation — the organization founded by the late opposition leader Aleksey Navalny, who died in a Russian penal colony in 2024.
The Prosecutor’s Office claimed that Yale graduates used the knowledge gained in the U.S. to “escalate protest activity.”