The Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation, commonly known as Rossotrudnichestvo, is an autonomous Russian government agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and cultural exchange. Rossotrudnichestvo operates in Central Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, primarily in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
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History
The agency was created from its predecessor agency by Presidential decree, signed by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on 6 September 2008, with the aim of maintaining Russia's influence in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and to foster friendly ties for the advancement of Russia's political and economic interests in foreign states.
Apparently from an investigation by the Alexey Navalny associated website (navalny.com), Ekaterina Solotsinskaya, who was Dmitry Peskov's second ex-wife, was fired in February 2018 as the head of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Paris (RCSC) or (RTsNK) (Russian: Российский центр науки и культуры в Париже (РЦНК)), which is under the auspices of Rossotrudnichestvo in France.
According to OECD estimates, 2019 official development assistance from Russia increased to US$1.2 billion.
Rossotrudnichestvo was assessed by expert observers to be organising and orchestrating synchronous pro-Russian public rallies, demonstrations, and vehicle convoys across Europe in April 2022 in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Demonstrations were held simultaneously in Dublin (Ireland), Berlin, Hanover, Frankfurt (Germany), Limassol (Cyprus), and Athens (Greece).
Sanctions
In July 2022, the European Union imposed sanctions on Rossotrudnichestvo in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.