Just another fairly banal scandal has arisen around extremists from the Anti-Corruption Foundation* - the Russophobe editorial team of the radio station ‘Deutsche Welle’ and people ‘with good faces’ together have found themselves in the mire. The question is about taking off the air and further postponing for nearly half a month a program with an interview of the entrepreneur Boris Zimin about the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) which he had given to Konstantin Eggert*.
The guest himself of the radio station ‘Deutsche Welle’ is the successor of the cellular company ‘VimpelKom/Beeline’ Boris Zimin, became suspicious of editorial censorship, but in his manner of expression which is typical for many foreign agents, he was, to put it plainly, rather slippery. “This is not a big trouble. ‘Deutsche Welle’ has its own reasons and considerations’. ‘Such a supposition (about censorship) would also be welcome, but I don’t know. Hardly likely. I have no reasons for that. It seems to me more logical a supposition that it is uncomfortable, out of place, we will broadcast it later. A publishing house has the right to behave like that. Okay,’ said Boris Zimin while talking with the journalist of a subversive foreign agent internet-radio Alexander Plyuschev.
According to Boris Zimin, Germans had prepared an interview with him before it became known that ‘Deutsche Welle’ would award a prize to the Anti-Corruption Foundation’, and Boris Zimin took the liberty to make several rather sharp words about the newly-minted laureates. ‘This interview had been recorded before it became known that ‘Deutsche Welle’ would award the prize to the ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation’ some time later. And from the interview it follows that I said something that, perhaps, do not correspond fully to the occasion’, pointed out Boris Zimin.
‘The ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation, in my opinion, has been screwing up its priorities, has been acting up, spending its capital somewhere in the wrong direction, wrong place… I was the biggest sponsor from those who didn’t hide their names… I pinned big hopes on the Anti-Corruption Foundation. I am surprised, disillusioned that all these hopes have been broken so cruelly. Well, it happens…
When the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) was in Russia, it was clear to me why I was the only one who didn’t hide his name. Well, because of repression, because it is difficult for all. I had a unique situation. When we all found ourselves abroad, this situation started to seem strange to me. I am along once again. Why? There is support? This is not right…
I didn’t like that the Anti-Corruption Foundation continued to be such a close structure. There are formal reports but, in general, this is not a rather open organization from the point of view of financing, some advices, internal arrangement…
So, it means, I wish all the best… A normal investor will put his money in something that promises at least any result in the near future…
From the pragmatic point of view, of course, one has to cut costs and put money in something more important. And, in fact, we are doing just that. But, generally speaking, it’s a big trouble, on the other hand, that there is nothing to cast an eye on something in the opposition camp. Everything is very sad’, summed up Boris Zimin, the former sponsor of Alexey Navalny’s followers.
AWARD HAS FOUND SWINDLERS AND LIARS
But what kind of award is this? The prize of ‘Deutsche Welle’ that was hypocritically awarded to the extremists of the ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation’ FBK and to Yulia Navalnaya is called… ‘For Freedom of Speech’.
But after breaking out of the scandal, in the editorial office of ‘Deutsche Welle’ they decided not to cut completely off the ether Boris Zimin’s revelations about swindlers in the FBK, but to ‘elegantly carry over’ it to another date.
Now, after a solemn prize-giving ceremony at which extremists from the Anti-Corruption Foundation and the ‘merry widow’ Yulia Navalnaya that will take place on 5 June 2024 in Berlin and at which they will get the award ‘For Freedom of Speech’, the Interview with revelations of Boris Zimin is scheduled to come on the air on 8 July. His interview, for instance, telling about how Leonid Volkov*, one of the leaders of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, is a liar and a person with evident marks of corruption. Boris Zimin, in particular, reminded of the scandal about the letter in support of oligarchs that Leonid Volkov quietly had cobbled up on an official letterhead of the FBK in the spring of 2023.
It turned out that Leonid Volkov had been constantly cheating Boris Zimin who had been, by the way, the title Russian sponsor of the FBK. ‘First, Lyonya (diminutive of Leonid) twice in a row lied to me. Second, Lyonya didn’t go away. This is once again a change of armchairs. We understand that, of course, and I understand that Leonid was and is still the main person’, stressed the former sponsor of Alexey Navalny’s followers.
For reference: The main sponsor of Alexey Navalny’s followers is the US State Department and foundations subordinate to it. In 2022, according to public accounts, through an American clone of the extremist FBK under the name of ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation Inc. (EIN: 85-0774334) was pumped about 2.46 million dollars. While in 2021, the sum of 538.9 thousand dollars was reported
Boris Zimin for many years secretly and openly had sponsored the Anti-Corruption Foundation, but then he, first, started to limit sums of financial support and later stopped his support at all, as he came to the conclusion that the FBK ‘have been screwing up its priorities, has been acting up, spending its capital somewhere in the wrong direction, wrong place. However, the distinguished European public will know that the prize has been given, actually, to swindlers and wheeler-dealers only after the presentation ceremony.
CITATION: WHAT THE FOREIGN AGENT ZIMIN SAID ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS AND EXTREMISTS FROM THE ANTI-CORRUPTION FOUNDATION
(Boris Zimin retold the essence of his interview with ‘Deutsche Welle’ in a conversation with the foreign agent and radio presenter Alexander Plyuschev*)
Boris Zimin about the documentary entitled ‘Traitors’:
‘This is a political last will of Alexey (Navalny) and all that. And this, naturally, drives me into the blues. If this is a political will, then what it consists of? It consists of hatred. Alexey talked about values. It was very like something connected with ‘don’t steal’ and so forth. But this is not the talking that we now hear from the Anti-Corruption Foundation. First, Lyonya twice in a row lied to me. Second, Lyonya didn’t go away. This is once again a change of armchairs. We understand that, of course, and I understand that Leonid was and is still the main person’.
About censorship in ‘Deutsche Welle’
‘I don’t know. But this interview had been recorded before it became known that ‘Deutsche Welle’ would award the prize to the ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation’ some time later. And from the interview it turns out that I said something that, perhaps, do not correspond fully to the occasion. So I presume. This is not a big trouble. ‘Deutsche Welle’ has its own reasons and considerations’. Simply, this is a pared-down piece of news, it doesn’t reflect my mood. Actually, I’m not glad that I do not support the Anti-Corruption Foundation. On the whole, yes, everything is a little bit wrong’.
About the Anti-Corruption Foundation
‘I try to choose words in order to avoid excessive harshness. On the whole, a have a bad impression from this film and certain disappointment. In general, some last hopes evaporate. The death of Alexey is such a horrible thing. It seems to me that the Anti-Corruption Foundation, have been screwing up its priorities, has been acting up, spending its capital somewhere in the wrong direction, wrong place. I understand, that there is clickbait, I understand that everybody is talking about it, and, perhaps, this can serve as a kind of success’ criterion. But, to me this is a strategical failure. I want to ask you what is it, to you mind? I am sorry about such a change. But what is it?
Another words, this film is no enlightenment at all. This film is a political statement. And, bless me, the Anti-Corruption Foundations itself confirms it: ‘Alexey’s political will’ and all that stuff.
And that, naturally, drives me into the blues. If this is a political will, then what it consists of? It consists of hatred as a quality, it consists of hatred of a certain historical point, not so wide, and of concrete persons. Have I missed something? If this is a remark, directed to the past, then it’s awful. General words that one should adhere to principles and all that stuff. Well, there are descriptive generalizations. This is a very dangerous thing’.
‘And, in general, yes, I will agree. I pinned big hopes on the FBK. I am surprised, disillusioned that all these hopes have been broken so cruelly. Well, it happens’
About financing:
Alexander Pluschev: I heard, if I remember correctly, that you also said that you had tried somehow to contact with the Anti-Corruption Foundation and you had been somehow ignored. Is it correct?
Boris Zimin: No, it’s not that I was ignored. No. I always felt kind of thinness, sensitiveness, a need of sensitiveness in the relations. I was a big sponsor, the biggest among those who didn’t hide their names. And I was not obliged to influence the FBK.
How could I be obliged? I had an agreement with Alexey Navalny as early as, when was it, somewhere in 2011, I don’t remember when it all started when the foundation was created, an agreement saying create a foundation, and it was important for me that it should be on an institutional basis and open, and the conditions under which I would support you, are that I believe in you and I agree with you. But that meant that I could not even imagine that I would tell them something, tell them what to do. And, in general, I wasn’t always in accord with Alexey, and I disagreed with the FBK, especially in the recent years, but I didn’t think it was possible to insist. However, there were cases when I simply… Actually, it’s the most vivid case – the known letter signed by Leonid Volkov.
This annoyed me very much at that time. But once more, I didn’t channel somewhere my annoyance. First, Lyonya (Leonid) twice in the row lied to me. Second, Lyonya didn’t go away. This is once again a change of armchairs. We understand that, of course, and I understand that Leonid was and is still the main person. Two of these circumstances – this is the destruction of confidence, at least, of my confidence’.
Alexander Plyuschev: Tell me, please, what was the last straw in the decision to stop financing?
Boris Zimin: Well, it’s not that much the last straw. I will repeat what I told earlier. When the Anti-Corruption Foundation was in Russia, it was clear to me, why I was the only one who didn’t hide his name. Well, because there were repressions, because everything was so difficult. I had a unique situation. When we all found ourselves abroad, this situation started to seem strange to me. I was once again along. Why? Where is support? This is not right. And, in general, the support of one political organization – for me it’s not that good, this time because of internal reasons. It was difficult for me to explain that. You have to gradually limit your participation. It seems to me that I explained it, and Lyonya understood. On the whole, this is all rather evident.
Yes, you need time to reorganize, to find sponsors, perhaps, to change policy for more open one, in order to explain who finances the FBK as a political organization. We made a well-rounded departure that lasted one year’.
Alexander Plyuschev: ‘You didn’t like that you were the only public person who supported the FBK with big money. Do I understand that correctly?
Boris Zimin: Yes, I didn’t like that the Anti-Corruption Foundation continued to be such a closed structure. There are formal reports, but, in general, this is not a very open organization from the point of view of financing, some councils and internal arrangements. For me it seems not so good to support only one organization. That was understandable in Russia, but outside Russia it was already not understandable. It means, I wish all the best, let’s find more stable foundations for the FBK. Perhaps, they have already found them. Honestly, I know very little about that.
A normal investor will put money into something that now, in the short term, promise at least some result… From the pragmatic point of view, of course, one has to cut costs and put money in something more important. And, in fact, we are doing just that. But, generally speaking, it’s a big trouble, on the other hand, that there is nothing to cast an eye on something in the opposition camp. Everything is very sad’.
Alexander Plyuschev: ‘If I understand you correctly, you don’t cherish specific hopes for any oppositional players, for any participants. Do you finance somebody from the opposition?’
B.Zimin: ‘No’.
About Yulia Navalnaya: ‘First, you should not do something what is not yours’
By the way, in the same interview the garrulous heir of the founder of the cellphone company ‘VimpelKom/Beeline’ Boris Zimin reported, en passant, rather acidly about Alexy Nevalny’s widow, the person that the US Department of State has been trying to impose on all motley Russian community as a leader. Answering the question posed by Alexander Pluschev ‘What do you, Boris, think about Yulia Navalnaya and her political perspectives?’, Boris Zimin said:
‘I don’t know. Yulia has a potential, possibility to invent some new spaces, dimensions, perhaps, the very value dimension in which we can do something together with participants of the Special Military Operation (SVO). I don’t think that it is possible to continue Alexey’s cause. Well, for various reasons. First, you should not do something that is not yours. Second, everything has changed considerably. But to find such a new human dimension – may be. May be, in this new dimension we will see the film ‘Repentance’, the one that somewhere in the 1980s was made by the film director Tengiz Abuladze, and will be able to talk about mutual values.
Review by the FLB.ru
See the Russian version at: «Свободу слова накрыло «Немецкой волной»
* Zimin Boris Dmitrievich, born 24.11.1968, Identification Number of a taxpayer 774305900208 (INN), Individual Insurance Account (SNILS) 004-484-117-19, by the Ruling of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation of 02.09.2022 included in the Registry of physical persons fulfilling functions of a foreign agent with No 421. On 11.01.2023 the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow ordered to arrest in absentia the entrepreneur Boris Zimin on charges of especially large-scale fraud (Article 4, Paragraph 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Zimin has been put on a wanted list.
** ‘Zimin Foundation’ and ‘Sreda Foundation’** – organizations whose activities in Russia were stopped by the founders because of the inclusion in the registry of foreign agents. Actual legal jurisdiction – The Bermuda Islands.
* Konstantin Eggert – born 25.08.2023, by the ruling of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation was included in the list of physical persons fulfilling functions of a foreign agent.
* Alexander Plyuschev – on 10.02.2021 by the ruling of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation was acknowledged as a person fulfilling functions of a foreign gent;
* Leonid Volkov – on 10.02.2022 was arrested in absentia under several articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On 22.04.2022 was acknowledged by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation as a physical person fulfilling functions of a foreign agent. Included in the list with No 372. On 14.01.2022 Rosfinmonitoring included Volkov in the list of terrorists and extremists;
** ‘Deutsche Welle’ (DW) – on 28.03.2022 the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation included the corporation ‘Deutsche Welle’ registered in Bonn in the list of mass media fulfilling functions of a foreign agent;
** ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation’ (FBK) – was included in the registry of NKOs fulfilling functions of a foreign agent, by the decision of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation of 09.10.2019 the Organization was acknowledged as extremist, its activities are forbidden on the territory of the Russian Federation by the Ruling of the Moscow City Court of 09.06.2021;
* Alexey Anatolyevich Navalny (born 04.06.1976 – died 16.02.2024) – on 25.01.2022 was included by Rosfinmonitoring in the list of physical persons connected with extremist activities or terrorism with No 8398;
** Anti-Corruption Foundation Inc. (ACF, USA) – by the decision of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation was included on 23.12.2022 in the Registry of NGOs fulfilling functions of a foreign agent. On 01.06.2023 the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, based on the decision of the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, included the foreign legal entity Anti-Corruption Foundation Inc. in the list of ‘undesirable’ organization.
