Dear Compatriots

Under the banner of legal aid for fellow Russians in trouble abroad, a state-backed foundation in the center of Moscow has for years advanced the Kremlin’s agenda across the world. “Pravfond” has funded the legal defense of alleged spies and criminals, backed propaganda outlets, and worked hand-in-glove with intelligence operatives. And it has continued to issue grant after grant even after being sanctioned by the European Union.This investigation, based on tens of thousands of internal emails obtained by journalists, reveals the inner workings of an influence machine that seeks to turn every Russian in the world into an agent of the Kremlin.

Bluesky

Russian State-Backed Foundation Paid Allies in the EU Despite Sanctions

Pravfond, a Russian legal-aid foundation for “compatriots” abroad, has continued to fund people and organizations across the European Union — even after it was sanctioned in mid-2023.

Russian Foundation, Aimed at Helping ‘Compatriots’ Abroad, Supports Spies, Criminals, and Propagandists

For over a decade, ‘Pravfond’ has been providing legal aid to Russians across the world. Internal emails obtained by journalists show how it collaborated with spies, funded propaganda efforts, and built points of influence along the way.