Introduction. Amid the growing spread of disinformation and geopolitical tensions, the legal regulation of the concepts of "fake" and "foreign agent" has become critically important for information security and the ethics of information dissemination. The purpose of the study is to analyze Russian legislation on foreign agents, its impact on countering fakes, and the observance of ethical principles in the information sphere. Methods. The research is based on a formal legal analysis of Russian regulatory acts (Federal Laws No. 121‑FZ, No. 255‑FZ, amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses), a comparative legal method (comparison with the legislation of the USA, Australia, EU countries, Israel, China), as well as an analysis of court practice and statistical data. Results. The key stages in the formation of the foreign agent institution in Russia (2012-2025) are identified, showing its evolution from NGOs to individuals and media outlets. It is established that Russian legislation, unlike Western models (FARA, FITSA), does not prohibit foreign agents from political activity and does not exempt them from content labeling, while maintaining a more flexible approach. The main tools for countering fakes are identified: criminal (Art. 207.3, 280.3 of the Criminal Code) and administrative (Art. 20.3.3, 13.15 of the Administrative Code) liability, confiscation of property, the activities of the Safe Internet League, and fact‑checking. Data on the number of convictions for 2024 are provided (28 persons under Art. 207.3, 1,805 persons under Art. 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code). Discussion. It is argued that the tightening of liability for fakes and the expansion of control over foreign agents are necessary measures in the context of information warfare, do not contradict the principles of information ethics (reliability, transparency, harm minimization), and generally correspond to democratic standards. In some aspects (absence of a ban on cultural and human rights activities), they are even more liberal than foreign counterparts.
