The Free Russia Foundation (FRF), a Washington-based NGO, has confirmed running a network of paid online commenters focused on influencing Russian current affairs and the Ukrainian crisis.
US-based NGO confirms running Russian opposition troll farm
Notes:
A New Space for People, Ideas and Projects:
The Reforum Space in Vilnius’ Uzupis district awaits journalists and activists from Russia, Belarus and other countries who have found themselves outside their usual environment and want to continue their work. A free co-working space will start operating for them on September 1st. At a later point, it will also provide advice by lawyers, an accountant, and a psychologist. It is also possible to hold your own event at the centre. In order to use the centre’s services or to arrange your own event, you will need to submit an application. In the future, Reforum Space will form part of a network of resource centres and help centres in cities where demand is greatest.
Alexander Solovyev
Russian politician and public figure, specialist in the international relations. Assistant to State Duma Deputy Dmitry Gudkov [opposition] (since 2013), Chairman of the Open Russia movement* (2017-2018). One of the independent candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections in 2019. Co-author of bills on the return of direct elections of governors and mayors, the abolition of the “Dima Yakovlev law”, etc.
anti-Magnitsky law
The law is described as a response to the Magnitsky Act in the United States, which places sanctions on Russian officials who were involved in a tax scandal exposed by Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky
In the Duma, the bill’s first reading saw one vote against (Ilya Ponomarev). The second reading received four votes against (Ilya Ponomarev, Dmitry Gudkov, Valery Zubov, Sergei Petrov – all from the A Just Russia faction), while the third and final reading was opposed by eight members (the previous four plus Andrei Ozerov from A Just Russia, Oleg Smolin and Zhores Alferov from the Communist Party of Russia, Boris Reznik from United Russia)
Open Russia is a political organisation founded by the exiled Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky with the shareholders of his firm, Yukos (a company closed in 2006). Khodorkovsky states that his organisation advocates democracy and human rights. The first initiative took the form of a foundation whose stated purpose was to “build and strengthen civil society in Russia”, established in 2001. Khodorkovsky relaunched Open Russia in September 2014 as a nationwide community platform as part of a group of activities called “Open Media”.
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This first incarnation of Open Russia has been described by The Guardian as a charitable organization. Its board included Henry Kissinger and Lord Jacob Rothschild.
Garry Kasparov, current chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, (which organizes the Oslo Freedom Forum and trains “democracy activists”), sits on the Permanent Committee of the Free Russia Forum with Ilya Ponomarev. Mikhail Khodorkovsky has spoken at both the Free Russia Foundation and Oslo Freedom Forum.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 