COMBATING FOREIGN FUNDING AS A MECHANISM FOR ENSURING THE CONTROLLABILITY OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN RUSSIA

The impact of state funding regulation on the functioning of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia is analysed. It was found that the state in the Russian Federation remains the main regulator of funding of NGOs and NGOs. Instead, the only source of existence for Russian non-governmental organizations for a long time remained foreign funding, which was provided by various foundations established to support the development of civil society and world democracy. It has been proven that foreign funding was especially necessary for those organizations that were critical of the Putin regime, and therefore deprived of any material support from the state. Political pressure on NGOs led to the departure of a significant part of active representatives of civil society from the country and a wave of closure of civil associations themselves, which were declared by so-called foreign agents. At the same time, the state intensified material support of loyal and pro-government organizations in order to maintain their support and create the visibility of the facade of civil society. A system of targeted grant support was formed for pro-government organizations. Thus, the Russian authoritarian regime is implementing a plan to subjugate the non-governmental sector. The authorities organized a tax algorithm for foreign organizations working in Russia, and also canceled benefits for NGOs disloyal to the authorities. It was confirmed that at the legislative level the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation was allowed to declare any NGOs as foreign agents at its own discretion. Against this background, the state ensured the formation and functioning of public pro-government structures, known as GONGOs. At the same time, independent media, which are also periodically included in the category of "foreign agents", suffer from the repressions of the Putin regime.