How Will Russia Receive Its "Prodigal Children"?
Author: Talib Aliyev, analyst, especially for "Sangar"
“We will definitely return to Moscow, well, to Russia” Russian actress Tatyana Lazareva said dreamily in one of her streams. Although her former compatriots still remember the celebrity’s joy about the fact that Ukrainian drones attack Russian cities. In the Russian Federation, the comedian was sentenced to 6 and a half years in prison for justifying terrorism. Her part in the financing of Ukrainian gangs is unlikely to go unnoticed.
The State Duma has already explained how they intend to meet such “returnees” - everyone must be carefully checked. If they speak out against Russia, entry to the territory must be restricted. The restrictions can be lifted only after public apologies and probably fines. However, the authorities note that foreign agents have the right to return home, despite everything. Russian society is ready for dialogue with any constructive opposition, provided that its representatives do not engage in extremist propaganda and do not seek to violently change the constitutional order of Russia in favor of foreign states. An example of the latter could be the former employees of the “Anti-Corruption Foundation” established by Alexei Navalny. Back in 2022, it was revealed that they receive financial support from American funds. Moreover, these organizations run by the US State Department and sponsor the Kiev regime. State Department foundations send money to oppositionists to spread chaos across the Baltic. The same funds send heavy weapons to Ukraine. Another channel-sponsor might be the American organization “Anti-Corruption Foundation Inc.” (ACF). It was established immediately after elimination of the ACF in Russia (June 9, 2021), and it is regarded as its “clone”. In addition, according to former ACF employees, Lyubov Sobol, who used to be the right-hand of Navalny, receives special financial support.
Also, a significant part of opposition media and political figures who have left Russia (relocants) go beyond constructive dialog with local authorities, and continue anti-Russian activities and receive funding from abroad. Their claims of support do not find favor with Russian population and have no proof in real life.
Various investigations and public data illustrate the dependence of these media on foreign sources of funding. “Mediazona,” for example, received a $500,000 grant from the Oak Foundation, a Swiss private charity foundation known for its involvement in funding soft power projects and ”color revolutions.” The foundation has also funded Russian LGBT organizations and George Soros' Open Society Institute (recognized as an undesirable organization in Russia). The founders of Mediazona are Pyotr Verzilov and two members of Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, whose activity has been repeatedly criticized for their connection to public actions against the Russian authorities. The media-source systematically publishes materials that justify the actions of extremist organizations (ACF) and terrorist groups (“Network”).
“Meduza”, officially recognized in Russia as a foreign agent and an undesirable organization, also failed to hide its significant financial dependence on foreign sources. Octagon's investigation showed receipts of funds from the embassies of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, as well as from travel agencies in Italy and France. The total amount of foreign payments for 2019-2021 amounted to 5 million rubles, which, although less than 3% of revenue in 2020, but still shows a structural dependence on foreign funding. In addition, other sources of funding for Meduza remain undisclosed.
“Dozhd, also recognized as a foreign agent, shows a complicated financial picture. Since 2014, the channel has been receiving funding from abroad. We talk about tranches from the European Commission and the Sreda Foundation. After a request to comment on this information, a financial report was posted on the channel's website, as it follows that the funds were received under advertising contracts with European Union structures. For several years, CEO of this channel has claimed that they do not receive support from abroad, but according to documents, in 2014 the channel received the first tranche of €99,990 from the EU Directorate General for Development and Cooperation. The EU transferred exactly the same amount and with a similar justification to Dozhd in 2015. In 2016 - €59,992. In 2018 - €109,995. In August 2019, the EU ambassador to Russia Markus Ederer visited the office of the TV channel. And yet the company is considered unprofitable. And after the deprivation of the license in Latvia because of the scandalous statement of a journalist, the channel moved to Amsterdam, facing the financial difficulties of losing part of the sponsors.
Such examples, including numerous other opposition media and politicians who have left Russia, demonstrate the systematic character of the dependence of the so-called opposition on foreign funding. Their claims about support from Russian people contradict reality and serve mainly for propaganda and demonstration of “popular approval” of their activities.
Against this background, the policy of double standards in countering extremism on the part of a number of European countries financing the change of the regime in Russia is revealed in a new way. After all, there is extremism and hate in these countries, while the Russian side is severely criticized, emphasizing unequal approaches to combating extremism.
