On the way to Khodorkovsky: Roman Badanin, former editor-in-chief of the Project, is looking for new sponsors

The last investigation published by The Project is dated July 15, 2021.

On this day, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation recognized the publication, founded by the ex-chief editor of Dozhd, Roman Badanin, undesirable in Russia.

The reason for the recognition of the organization as undesirable, as the department clarifies, was the activity "posing a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation."

In two faces

Legally, the decision concerned the American non-governmental organization Project Media, Inc. *, registered in the name of Roman Badanin and located in Palo Alto, California.

This organization received from the American National Endowment for Democracy (NED) ** $ 40 thousand in 2018.

However, as RT reported, another legal entity, also Project Media, but without an American registration, can manage the Project.

The company of the same name, registered in November 2018 in Lithuania, is also owned by Badanin and presumably received funding from the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) ***.

As RT wrote, EED allocated € 205,000 to the Project for 2018-2019 ($ 240,000 at the exchange rate of that time).

The Lithuanian Project Media business card has the status of “beneficiary”, which means that the EED money could have passed through this company. 

The decision of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation does not apply to a Lithuanian company.

Thus, Badanin still has the opportunity to continue working even in the Russian jurisdiction.

This was reported to RT by a source in the media market familiar with the situation.

Also on russian.rt.com, the lawyer reported on the searches at the editor-in-chief and journalist of "Project"

For money to Europe

After the publication "Project" was recognized as an undesirable organization and the departure from the country, Roman Badanin began negotiations on financing with representatives of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

"Now Badanin is negotiating with Khodorkovsky's people about financing," the source said.

“He expects to attract some of the people to Lithuania, to this company (talking about Project Media. -

RT

).”

According to the source, if the negotiations are successful, funds for the continuation of the Project's work may be funneled through the British Khodorkovsky Foundation Future of Russia, the British company Hanover 16 Limited, which finances a number of MBH's media assets, or other legal entities of the oligarch registered in the European Union.

Also on russian.rt.com "Attack on the Constitutional System of Russia": How Khodorkovsky's Schools Prepare Protest Activists for the Elections

Salary by proxy

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice of Russia included in the register of foreign media agents a number of employees of the publication, including Yulia Yarosh and Roman Badanin.

Almost all of them remained in Russia and now, according to the source, are experiencing problems with receiving salaries. 

“As far as I know, they were looking for people who would agree to receive their salaries on their cards,” the source said.

Badanin himself and his deputy Mikhail Rubin left Russia for the United States.

Earlier Badanin had already tried to get a permanent visa to the States.

Among other reasons for Badanin's hasty departure from Russia is the threat of his criminal prosecution in the case of libel against the St. Petersburg businessman Ilya Traber.

In June 2021, Interior Ministry officials interrogated Badanin and searched his house as part of the investigation of the case under Part 5 of Art.

128.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Slander, combined with the accusation of a person of committing a crime against sexual inviolability and sexual freedom of the individual or a grave or especially grave crime").

RT turned to Badanin and Rubin with a request to comment on the source data - both were unavailable for comment.

* "Project Media" (Project Media, Inc.) is an organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable in the territory of the Russian Federation by the decision of the General Prosecutor's Office of 07/15/2021.

** The National Endowment for Democracy is an organization whose activities have been declared undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation by the decision of the Prosecutor General's Office of July 28, 2015.

*** An organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation by the decision of the General Prosecutor's Office of 03/06/2020.