Andrei Lankov, a prominent Russian specialist on North Korea, reported that a second administrative protocol had been prepared against him under Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (participation in “undesirable” organized activities). In this regard, Lankov wrote on his Telegram channel that he decided not to communicate with journalists anymore.
Given that the third “management” is fraught with very serious problems, perhaps the most logical thing would be to simply refuse interviews and conversations with any media at all. Well, or almost completely. Maybe it would be quieter that way. At least for now. I always talked to almost everyone who didn’t censor me. But – unfortunately…
Lankov did not specify the substance that became the reason for the administrative protocol. “All that’s left to do is shrug our shoulders again about what’s going on,” he wrote.
Andrei Lankov is a Doctor of Historical Sciences, Orientalist and Professor at Kookmin University in Seoul. He is considered the world’s leading expert on North Korea. Lankov holds dual Russian and Australian citizenship.
In February 2026, Lankov was supposed to give a lecture in Riga, but employees of the municipal police and Latvian border guards attended the event and took the world away. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Lankov was considered persona non grata in the country based on information available to the national security authorities.
According to Russian legislation, after two administrative protocols within one year under Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, a criminal case can be initiated under Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for deprivation of liberty.