Albanian Academic Declared Persona Non Grata in Russia Amid Crackdown on British Think Tank

 The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has officially banned the activities of the British non-governmental organization The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), one of the world’s oldest and most respected defense and security think tanks.

Andi Hoxhaj

This decision has direct implications for Albanian academic Dr. Andi Hoxhaj, who serves as an associate fellow at RUSI. As a result of the ruling, Hoxhaj is now effectively declared persona non grata in Russia, barred from entering the country as long as he maintains ties with the institute.

According to the Russian notification sent to RUSI, the ban applies broadly to the organization and its affiliates. However, it specifies that “if members and associates sever all formal ties with the institute, they may be allowed entry into Russia.”

Founded in 1831 in the United Kingdom, RUSI describes itself as the oldest independent think tank dedicated to defense, global security, and international affairs. It receives funding from the UK government, the European Commission, NATO member states, and other international partners. Moscow, however, labels some of these backers as “undesirable organizations.”

In its justification, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office accused RUSI of conducting research and activities that target Russian political and military structures. The statement alleges that the institute regularly holds seminars and training sessions where participants discuss Russian military operations, intelligence tactics, and the development of new weaponry “under the guise of countering an imaginary Russian threat.”

The statement further claimed that RUSI publications accuse Russia of attempting to annex parts of Europe, undermining Western democracies, and interfering in foreign elections. It also highlighted RUSI’s calls for stronger NATO unity in order to “inflict the greatest possible damage on the Russian economy.” With the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Russian authorities argue, RUSI has intensified its so-called “anti-Russian rhetoric” by openly supporting Kyiv and advocating for tougher sanctions against Moscow.

For Dr. Hoxhaj, who has built an international academic profile in law, governance, and European integration, the Russian move underscores the growing risks faced by scholars associated with Western institutions. His status as persona non grata reflects the widening geopolitical divide, where academics are increasingly caught in the crossfire of global tensions.