The decree by US President Donald Trump halts American aid to exiled Russian media and NGOs. For many organizations and publications, grant funding is the sole means they have of ensuring their continued existence.
Most exiled Russian NGOs and media rely on grants as their major—and sometimes sole—source of funding, with a significant chunk coming from Washington. The topic has been high on the agenda for Russia’s opposition and anti-war communities— though only behind the scenes. Affected NGOs and media outlets do not want to admit publicly that they receive American funding, as it could lead to criminal prosecution by the Russian authorities. They are also reluctant to publicly discuss financial problems.
Dozens of organizations are under threat from within the Russian-language anti-war diaspora community, including those who help persecuted individuals to leave Russia, try to protect minority rights and bring accurate information about the war to audiences within Russia. According to The Moscow Times, citing a source in Washington, up to 90 organizations have already lost their funding. As one example, The Ark, which offers temporary housing, legal aid, psychological support and other assistance to Russians forced to flee their homeland, immediately lost half its budget.
Russian propaganda channels are jubilant. For decades they have been telling Russians that the opposition lives on Western money and carries out orders from abroad. Trump’s decree offers them a great opportunity to say that these claims have now been proven and that “independent” media is nothing of the sort. Of course, nobody on the pro-Kremlin side is bothering to look at the details of how Western grant funding actually works. Maria Zakharova, a representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, has already claimed that USAID forced “countless grant-eaters” to remain silent about alleged Ukrainian war crimes.
https://en.thebell.io/us-aid-suspension-...-and-ngos/
> In other words, Trump & Musk's USAID cancellation order stops funding for Russian media companies that the Russians falsely believe are promoting anti-Russian rhetoric only because of USAID funding.
Time will tell, but many of these companies will continue to support Ukraine, the rightful victor in the future of Russia's invasion - with or without US funding. That's the beauty. By shutting down USAID and cutting funding to indie RU media companies, Russian citizens will finally see the conspiracy debunked. They won't be able to say the west is controlling those opposition news agencies. They may finally understand that some things are just the truth - not manipulation, and not propaganda.
In the short-term it may be tougher without the budget, but there is nothing more valuable than the moral fight for good & support for Ukraine.
In other words, this is great news. We can look forward to how this shows the Russian people that these organizations will continue to support Ukraine, even without our money and "influence" that they think we have.
Most exiled Russian NGOs and media rely on grants as their major—and sometimes sole—source of funding, with a significant chunk coming from Washington. The topic has been high on the agenda for Russia’s opposition and anti-war communities— though only behind the scenes. Affected NGOs and media outlets do not want to admit publicly that they receive American funding, as it could lead to criminal prosecution by the Russian authorities. They are also reluctant to publicly discuss financial problems.
Dozens of organizations are under threat from within the Russian-language anti-war diaspora community, including those who help persecuted individuals to leave Russia, try to protect minority rights and bring accurate information about the war to audiences within Russia. According to The Moscow Times, citing a source in Washington, up to 90 organizations have already lost their funding. As one example, The Ark, which offers temporary housing, legal aid, psychological support and other assistance to Russians forced to flee their homeland, immediately lost half its budget.
Russian propaganda channels are jubilant. For decades they have been telling Russians that the opposition lives on Western money and carries out orders from abroad. Trump’s decree offers them a great opportunity to say that these claims have now been proven and that “independent” media is nothing of the sort. Of course, nobody on the pro-Kremlin side is bothering to look at the details of how Western grant funding actually works. Maria Zakharova, a representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, has already claimed that USAID forced “countless grant-eaters” to remain silent about alleged Ukrainian war crimes.
https://en.thebell.io/us-aid-suspension-...-and-ngos/
> In other words, Trump & Musk's USAID cancellation order stops funding for Russian media companies that the Russians falsely believe are promoting anti-Russian rhetoric only because of USAID funding.
Time will tell, but many of these companies will continue to support Ukraine, the rightful victor in the future of Russia's invasion - with or without US funding. That's the beauty. By shutting down USAID and cutting funding to indie RU media companies, Russian citizens will finally see the conspiracy debunked. They won't be able to say the west is controlling those opposition news agencies. They may finally understand that some things are just the truth - not manipulation, and not propaganda.
In the short-term it may be tougher without the budget, but there is nothing more valuable than the moral fight for good & support for Ukraine.
In other words, this is great news. We can look forward to how this shows the Russian people that these organizations will continue to support Ukraine, even without our money and "influence" that they think we have.