MOSCOW: Russia's justice ministry on Friday declared media outlet TV Rain (Dozhd) a "foreign agent", part of what Kremlin opponents say is a crackdown on critical media before a parliamentary election next month.

The government, which denies a crackdown is under way, uses the "foreign agent" designation to label foreign-funded organisations it says are engaged in political activity.

The term carries negative Soviet-era connotations and subjects those designated to extra government scrutiny.

TV Rain operates online and has long been a platform where Kremlin critics who are unable to get on state TV have been able to express their views.

The channel's chief editor, Tikhon Dzyadko, said the outlet will appeal the decision.

"The position is very simple. The Dozhd TV channel is not a foreign agent. Moreover, the Dozhd TV channel is not any other agent, The Dozhd TV channel is a Russian media," he wrote on social media.

Investigative journalists working for another outlet, iStories, were also added to the list of foreign agent media.