A Kremlin-backed legal aid foundation has been operating inside Ukraine, according to leaked emails that describe efforts to compile reports for Russian authorities on alleged violations of Russian speakers’ rights in the country.
The foundation, based in Moscow, has been coordinating with individuals inside Ukraine to document cases that could be used to support Russian narratives about discrimination against Russian-speaking populations. The leaked correspondence reveals a network of informants and legal activists feeding information to the Kremlin-aligned organization.
The operation is part of a broader Russian soft-power strategy that has included funding legal campaigns, language advocacy, and cultural initiatives designed to maintain influence in Ukraine. Similar networks have been documented in other former Soviet states where Moscow has sought to preserve political and cultural leverage.
Ukrainian authorities have stepped up scrutiny of organizations suspected of maintaining ties to Russian state-funded foundations, particularly since the 2022 invasion. The leaked emails provide new evidence of the extent of these networks and their continued activities despite the war.