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The Elton John AIDS Foundation is making sure that the world knows what a recent action from Russia means for the those living with HIV and AIDS in the country.
In a statement released April 3, the prosecutor general’s office of the Russian federation banned both the British and U.S-registered foundations of the EJAF from offering its services in Russia, designating the non-profit as an “undesirable” organization — a classification that would allow the state to prosecute and potentially jail individuals affiliated with the charity if they continue working in Russia.

In response to the government’s ban, the EJAF shared a statement with Billboard, saying that it were “devastated” to learn of its new label under Russian law. “This decision by the Russian Federation will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts for ordinary Russian citizens,” the statement reads. “At a time when we have the tools and knowledge to defeat HIV, it is heartbreaking to be unable to support them.”

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The organization pointed out in its statement that, according to the Russian government’s own reporting, more than 1.2 million people were living with HIV in the country as recently in 2024, with nearly half a million of those individuals not receiving proper treatment. “For more than two decades, we have worked in collaboration with federal and non-governmental partners in Russia to provide hundreds of thousands of people with vital HIV services, including testing, treatment and care,” the EJAF tells Billboard. “Despite this setback, we will continue our work across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the Foundation is the largest philanthropic HIV/AIDS funder.”

The prosecutor general’s office of Russia cited the EJAF’s support of LGBTQ+ rights, including “non-traditional sexual relationships, Western family models, and gender reassignment,” as well as the organization’s “negative attitudes” toward countries promoting “traditional spiritual and moral values,” as primary factors in its decision to deem the group “undesirable.”

“When a musician plays along with those trying to sow the seeds of democracy, it is propaganda,” the statement (translated from Russian) read. “And when it’s Elton John calling the tune, then it’s more than just anti-Russian propaganda, too.”

This is far from the first time that John has expressed his concern regarding Russia’s treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2019, he penned an open letter to Russian president Vladimir Putin criticizing the leader’s “hypocrisy” in saying he cared for LGBTQ+ people while also promoting anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

“I find duplicity in your comment that you want LGBT people to ‘be happy’ and that ‘we have no problem in that.’ Yet Russian distributors chose to heavily censor my film Rocketman by removing all references to my finding true happiness through my 25 year relationship with David and the raising of my two beautiful sons,” he wrote at the time. “I am proud to live in a part of the world where our governments have evolved to recognise the universal human right to love whoever we want.”

Read the EJAF’s full statement to Billboard about Russia’s ban below:

Thirty years ago, HIV began by affecting a community that no one wanted to support. We failed that group then, and as a result, HIV continued its destructive path across the globe, eventually infecting more than 80 million people worldwide. What began as a disease outbreak grew into a global pandemic.

As one of the leading HIV/AIDS organizations in the world, we recognize that the compassionate and effective way to fight HIV is by acknowledging our common humanity and providing funding where it is needed, regardless of gender, race, sexuality, or faith. This is why the Foundation’s mission is to leave no one behind.

We are devastated by the decision of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation, which will prevent the Foundation from providing lifesaving care to people living with HIV in Russia.

For more than two decades, we have worked in collaboration with federal and non-governmental partners in Russia to provide hundreds of thousands of people with vital HIV services, including testing, treatment and care. This work is urgent: In 2024, there were over 1.2 million people living with HIV in Russia, with over 430,000 not receiving treatment.

This decision by the Russian Federation will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts for ordinary Russian citizens. At a time when we have the tools and knowledge to defeat HIV, it is heartbreaking to be unable to support them.

Despite this setback, we will continue our work across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the Foundation is the largest philanthropic HIV/AIDS funder.