Blurring Terrorism and War: Russia’s Counter-Terrorism Framework and the Risks for International Partners

Russia’s counter-terrorism framework reflects a dual dynamic: the persistence of genuine security threats alongside the expansion of terrorism-related designations to encompass non-violent conduct, political dissent, and wartime activities. Russia has reported a sharp rise in terrorism since 2022, but this increase reflects an expanding legal and political reclassification rather than a significant growth in violent threats. This policy brief examines how military courts, administrative designation systems, and financial compliance tools enable this expansion, often in ways that fall short of due process standards. It argues that these practices blur the boundary between legitimate counter-terrorism and politically motivated enforcement, with implications for international cooperation. Despite reduced engagement since 2022, Russia remains embedded in global counter-terrorism and financial governance frameworks, creating operational dependencies and legal risks for international partners. The brief calls for selective, risk-differentiated international engagement, enhanced scrutiny of Russian-origin information, and stronger safeguards to prevent the misuse of global counter-terrorism instruments.

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