LONDON – Russia’s financial watchdog added chess grandmaster and political activist Garry Kasparov to its list of “terrorists and extremists” on March 6.

The 60-year-old former world chess champion has been a long-time opponent of President Vladimir Putin and has repeatedly spoken out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Rosfinmonitoring watchdog is responsible for combating money laundering and terror financing, and those listed can have their bank accounts seized.

It did not say why it added Soviet-born Kasparov to the list. The Kremlin often terms those who disagree with its offensive “extremist” or “foreign agents”.

Mr Kasparov joked about the label on X, formerly Twitter.

“An honour that says more about Putin’s fascist regime than about me,” he wrote.

Mr Kasparov is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest chess players and has lived in the United States for over a decade, where he has focused on political activism.

In February 2023, he urged the West to keep up its support for Kyiv and said Ukraine had to defeat Moscow as a “pre-condition” for a democratic transition in Russia. AFP