MOSCOW, April 15./TASS/. The United States and some European countries are pouring heavy amounts of investment into goading Russia’s young people in protests in the interests of anti-Russian political circles in the West, Andrei Klimov, chair of the Ad Hoc Commission on Protecting State Sovereignty and Preventing Interference in the Domestic Affairs of the Russian Federation Council said on Thursday.
"It is not uncommon that the organizers, among them registered foreign agents, are using young people as a cover during unsanctioned events, goading them to clash with officers of the law, thereby exposing many people, including youngsters themselves to real danger, while inciting them to commit criminal acts," the parliamentarian explained.
"For this activity, the US and its European partners are earmarking substantial funds to draw Russia’s youth into protest activity, and other actions in the interests of the anti-Russian segment of Western political circles," Klimov told a session of the commission on Thursday.
He said that about $700,000 had been allocated last year for grants that directly concern Russian youth alone through the American National Endowment for Democracy, which Russia declared to be an "undesirable organization." "This money goes to support political activities, to organize training sessions for activists and to create stable network connections among them," he stressed. "Let me note that this is just one among the numerous financial streams that are generously supplied from the state coffers of the United States and other NATO countries," he pointed out.
"And we are talking here about one previous year, and only about some among a host of subversive events," the senator stressed.
The total amount of financing for these goals "runs into billions of dollars in annual terms," Klimov added. Thus, reliable information appeared on March 10, 2021 about the launch of a new program for training pro-Western young leaders in Russia. The final part of the project is to steer the participants towards cooperation with local NGOs after they return to Russia in order to put into practice the experience and involve other citizens in the activity of the organizations," Klimov said. "Let me reiterate that all this is being done despite the pandemic," he stressed.
He added that foreign specialized foundations are also working towards that goal, one of them is planning a new summer school for young Russian journalists on human rights actions and work with the media. "We also remember that apart from the US and its satellites, foreign extremist centers from some countries in the Middle East and Central Asia are involved in destructive influence activities targeting young Russians. They are conducting their subversive work with the use of pseudo-religious demagogy and try to cash in on matters of national and ethic nature," Klimov explained.
In order to prevent attempts of external interference, the commission continues to cooperate with agencies of the executive power, law enforcement agencies and social organizations, he added.