Doctors Without Borders Shuts Down Russian Operations After 32 Years

Doctors Without Borders has ceased its operations in Russia after 32 years following a Justice Ministry directive removing the organization from the register of foreign NGOs. The aid group, known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), has provided extensive medical aid since 1992 but has now halted its activities due to governmental restrictions.

Doctors Without Borders has announced the closure of its operations in Russia, ending a 32-year presence due to being removed from the register of foreign nongovernmental organizations by the Justice Ministry.

The organization, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), will retain a Moscow branch office, but its Netherlands-run operations have ceased. MSF has provided aid to the homeless, migrants, and patients dealing with tuberculosis and infectious diseases since 1992.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, MSF has assisted over 52,000 displaced individuals. The aid group was recently planning to address the needs of internally displaced people in Russia's Kursk region. Norman Sitali, the operations manager, expressed sadness about the program's end, emphasizing the medical and humanitarian void left in its absence.

(With inputs from agencies.)