Humanitarian cooperation is an important development factor for the international relations, while implementation of the international cultural, educational and scientific projects without a doubt facilitates strengthening of international relations. However, witnessing an unstable situation in the east of Europe, we can draw absolutely unexpected conclusion: Russia actively exploits cultural, educational and scientific projects as one of the hybrid war instruments.
Situation in the eastern regions of Ukraine is a striking example. Official Kiev repeatedly claimed use of hybrid forms of aggression by the Russian Federation and it becomes clear upon a closer examination that these charges have solid grounds.
During the Post-Soviet period, especially at president Yanukovych times, Russia established a network of various non-profit organizations in the territory of Ukraine, which pursued the purpose of promoting the so-called “Russian world”. Such quite apolitical slogans of public organizations, funds and grants become the curtain for the purposeful work on promoting of neo-imperialist, militaristic views which de facto represent state ideology of the Russian Federation.
The sophisticated propaganda aimed at creation of chaos, mutual distrust and eventually oriented at undermining the state sovereignty of the foreign states, distinguishes the Russian so-called public organizations from the known European and American non-profit humanitarian or charitable organizations, which do not receive governmental financing as a rule. Russian humanitarian organizations obtain financing directly from the budget of the Russian Federation, and special media portals cover their activity.
Particularly, activity of such non-governmental organizations as the Russian Russkiy Mir Foundation, the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, St.Andrew the First-Called Foundation, the ‘Russian Abroad’ Foundation-Library, the Russian Cultural Fund, the International Council of the Russian Compatriots, the Russian Theatre Union, the International Union of the Museums, the International Sister Сity Association, the Moscow Union of Friendship Societies, the St. Petersburg Association for International Cooperation and others goes hand in