On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expanded the membership of the presidential Human Rights Council (HRC) by appointing more advocates of the war in Ukraine ahead of his upcoming meeting with the council this week.
Established by presidential decree in 2004, Russia’s Human Rights Council was designed to uphold and protect human rights within the country. However, it has faced criticism for its lack of opposition to Putin, as members who challenge the Kremlin have been ousted and replaced by those more aligned with the government.
The first new member of the HRC is Maria Bolshakova, who leads the Union of Military Personnel Families of Russia. This organization provides legal support, social services, and advocacy for the families of Russian soldiers.
Another addition is Alexei Lubkov, the president of Moscow State Pedagogical University. He co-authored a textbook titled “Russia’s Spiritual and Moral Culture,” which will be mandatory for students in grades 5 through 7 starting in 2026, in collaboration with a senior priest from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Artur Shlykov, the third new member, made headlines for filing a criminal complaint against an anti-war comedian over his spoof of a popular pro-war song titled “I’m Russian.”
The final new member, Natalia Kravchenko, is a prominent figure in an organization dedicated to developing and promoting innovative technologies.
These new members will take the place of Roman Romanov, the former director of the now-closed Gulag History Museum.
Putin also removed several other members, including Nikolai Ivanov, who leads a major organization of writers and authors; Irina Kirkova, who heads a non-profit focused on psychology and family support; and Igor Yurgens, the head of a think tank aimed at modernizing Russia’s political and economic frameworks.
Additionally, Kirill Vyshinsky, the executive director of the Kremlin-funded RT broadcaster, was excluded from the council. Vyshinsky, who participated in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2019, passed away in August at the age of 59.
This reshuffle comes before Putin’s meeting with the council on Wednesday, December 10, a date recognized globally as Human Rights Day.
With around 60 members increasingly supportive of the Kremlin, Russia’s Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights is tasked with assisting the government in the protection of human rights.
Since 2019, the council has been led by Valery Fadeyev, a journalist and supporter of the war.
