Russian-German Exchange (DRA)

The Russo-German Exchange Foundation (DRA) is a German NGO.

Financing

In addition to German government agencies, this NPO for 2022 is sponsored by^[1]:

• Friedrich Ebert Foundation;
• Heinrich Belle Foundation;
• Marion Dönhoff Foundation;
• Open Estonia Foundation;
• Open Society Foundation;
• Robert Bosch Foundation, Stuttgart

and others.

2021: Recognition as an unwanted organization in Russia

In 2021, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation recognized the Russian-German Exchange as an undesirable organization whose activities "pose a threat to the foundations of the constitutional system and security of the Russian Federation."

However, this fact did not prevent DRA from continuing to work in Russia, namely:

• coordinate street protests against the "Putin war^[2];
• urge Russians to go to unauthorized rallies^[3]
• Announce the recruitment of people for "preparation for safe reintegration in eastern Ukraine"^[4].

The center of DRA work in Russia is St. Petersburg, where one of the offices of NGOs is located. The partner of the Russian-German Exchange for a long time was the St. Petersburg branch of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (VOOPIiK).

2014: The beginning of support for Ukraine in the Donbass

The fund began to show pro-Ukrainian activity in 2014 during the first battles for Slavyansk. When the city was occupied by Ukrainians, the Russian-German Exchange organized its office^[5] there].

"DRA has long cooperated with Ukraine. Its representatives in 2014 covered events in the Donbass and recorded shelling from the Russian Federation to show European society what really happened in Ukraine, "reads the description of the DRA mission in the" occupied territories^[6].

In addition, the Russo-German Exchange Foundation was engaged in:

• financing of "ATO veterans,"
• searching for bodies of "ATO participants,"
• organizing trips of young leaders from Russia to Slavyansk^[7],
• support on behalf of the Russian society of the Kiev authorities and the "Ukrainian Donbass" with the help of the online publication Radio Liberty funded through USAGM.

Notes