Individuals facing criminal charges in Russia have begun making donations to the state-backed “Defenders of the Fatherland” foundation in order to receive reduced sentences, according to a report by the independent publication Agentstvo (lit. “The Agency.”) The foundation, established in April 2023 at the initiative of President Vladimir Putin, provides support to participants of the so-called “special military operation” and their families. Its chairperson is Anna Tsivileva — the daughter of Putin’s cousin.
Among the foundation’s donors are individuals under investigation or on trial, who typically contribute 100,000–200,000 rubles (approximately $1,100–$2,200). Lawyers note that courts often view these donations as a form of atonement, potentially leading to lighter sentences. Legal expert Arseny Levinson explained to The Insider that donations should “compensate for the harm — however abstract — caused by the crime.”
Some of the foundation’s notable donors include:
- Gennady Udulyan, a prominent Moscow lawyer, sentenced to five years for a restaurant brawl, assault, and bribing a detention center inspector.
- Mikhail Aseyev, acting Minister of Construction of the Samara Region, accused of abuse of power for allegedly unlawfully transferring state contract funds to a contractor. Aseyev is awaiting trial.
- Alexei Belyankin, a Russian Railways official originally detained on large-scale fraud charges (which carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison), but later convicted on a lesser charge of abuse of power and merely fined.
- Daniil Stepanov, a political prisoner serving 4.5 years for “vandalism” and “collaboration with foreign organizations.” He was convicted for painting anti-war graffiti on a military enlistment office and city administration building in the town of Aleksin in the Tula Region. Authorities also found Ukrainian flags and “Freedom of Russia” Legion symbols in his possession. The Nobel Prize-winning NGO Memorial has recognized Stepanov as a political prisoner.
Donating to state-affiliated foundations has become an increasingly common legal strategy for defendants in criminal cases. They choose where to donate based on their case, which often helps them avoid prison sentences.
The “Defenders of the Fatherland” foundation is state-funded, but it also accepts donations from government-linked corporations, private businesses, and individuals.
Since its establishment, it has received over 200 million rubles ($2.2 million) in donations. Major contributors include VEB.RF (Russia’s state development bank), the National Credit History Bureau, and the ONF Charitable Foundation.
The foundation provides Russian veterans and their families with legal assistance, employment aid, medical supplies, sanatorium treatments, and help in securing veteran status.
As noted by the Financial Times, the foundation’s impact appears to have been “limited”: it spent only 146 million ($1.65 million) of its 2.5-billion-ruble ($28.5 million) budget on “social and charitable support” in 2023, according to its filings, with close to 2 billion going to salaries and other administrative costs.