Viennese Association Allegedly Cooperated with Sanctioned Fund from Russia

The officials of the Vienna association are known to the Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence Service (DSN). "So far, no criminally relevant facts related to sanctions have been observed in this regard," said the Ministry of the Interior on Thursday.

Fund from Russia sanctioned for spreading Kremlin propaganda

Referring to leaked emails, the "Standard" reported that the chairman of the association "Dialogue - Promotion of Cultural, Legal, and General Human Values" in Vienna, Dmitri J., signed a contract with the Russian "Foundation for the Support and Legal Protection of Compatriots Living Abroad" in March 2024. The foundation, informally referred to as "Prawfond," had already been placed on a sanctions list by the EU in June 2023 - the EU justified this at the time with the foundation's role in spreading Kremlin propaganda abroad. However, a representative of the Estonian domestic intelligence service, cited by the newspaper, saw the foundation as an "extension of Russian intelligence services," enabling the control and management of the Russian-speaking diaspora.

Difficult money transfers from Russia to Austria

J.'s contract provided for a sum of 40,000 euros, and he subsequently confirmed in an email the receipt of about two million rubles (20,000 euros) in his bank account in Russia. The newspaper had no information about a possible transfer of these funds to Austria. However, J. had already reported difficulties with transfers to Austria at the beginning of 2023. At that time, he hinted that there might be a possibility for the Russian embassy in Vienna to transfer funds. As early as the beginning of June 2024, the "Standard" first reported on the cooperation between J. and Prawfond, and at that time, an internal presentation of a "Center for Legal Protection - Austria" led by him was leaked. A few weeks later, the association was voluntarily dissolved by J., who has also been acting as chairman of the embassy-affiliated umbrella organization "Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots' Organizations" (KSORS) since 2022. The Russian himself was not reachable by phone for the APA on Thursday.

Criticism of Vienna association official from the community

Within the Russian-speaking community itself, J. was recently also controversial: In a Facebook publication titled "Patriotism or Sabotage," activist Natallia N. accused him on May 10 of being illegitimate as KSORS chairman due to the lack of held elections and in light of statute violations. She also accused him of disruptive activities related to an event marking the 80th anniversary of "Victory Day" at Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz. N. herself is not only the administrator of one of the largest Russian-speaking Facebook groups in Austria, but as co-general coordinator of the association "People in Resilience," she was also co-responsible for the unofficial "Immortal Regiment" rally in Vienna on May 9. As such, she had sharply criticized a poster set up on site by the Vienna Festival Weeks a few days earlier, which was later set on fire.

Prosecutor examines "Immortal Regiment" cooperation

N.'s co-general coordinator in the association, Dimitri K., also acts as the official Austrian representative of an international "Immortal Regiment" movement, which is also close to the Russian state. This cooperation between Vienna and Moscow is currently the subject of an investigation in connection with sanction regulations: The Vienna public prosecutor's office confirmed to the APA last week the receipt of a report from the Ministry of the Interior, which is now being examined for any initial suspicion. However, no investigation is currently underway. K. was also not reachable by phone on Thursday.

(APA/Red)

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