Legal fund helping Russians abroad is exposed as Kremlin influence operation

Leaked documents have exposed the activities of a Russian state-backed legal defence foundation that European intelligence agencies and analysts say is a Kremlin influence operation active in 48 countries.

- Andrew Roth

Internal documents from the Fund for Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad (Pravfond) indicate the foundation finances propaganda websites targeted at Europeans, helped pay for the legal defence of the convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout and the assassin Vadim Krasikov, and has used former intelligence officers as directors of its operations in Europe.

Public data also shows Pravfond's local partners have received subsidies from several European states where the foundation has branches, raising questions about the use of public funds and national security concerns days before the European elections.

More than 40 internal Pravfond documents, obtained by the Danish public broadcaster DR from a European intelligence source and shared with European news outlets including the Guardian, showed the organisation has had former intelligence agents among its leadership.