Leak Uncovers Russian Propaganda Funding Networks in Bulgaria

A significant leak has exposed details about who is receiving payments for Russian propaganda activities in Bulgaria, OFFNews reported. Danish public broadcaster DR obtained a massive trove of documents - over 49,000 emails and more than 22,000 files - from a confidential source tied to a Russian state-backed group called the Fund for Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, commonly known as Pravfond. The investigative outlet BIRD.bg is reporting on this extensive cache, which sheds light on the financing behind Kremlin-linked propaganda efforts within Bulgaria.

Pravfond, created by a presidential decree in 2011, is widely recognized as a Kremlin instrument aimed at spreading disinformation and influence operations across Europe. Previous investigations by DR and various European intelligence agencies have confirmed its role in orchestrating propaganda campaigns.

DR collaborated with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) to analyze the documents, joining forces with 28 media partners including BIRD.bg under a joint investigation titled “Dear Compatriots.” The emails span the entire activity period of Pravfond, from its start in 2012 until November 2024, involving communications from at least 21,043 individuals.

Among the revelations are more than 360 grant agreements, with a majority—at least 260—issued between 2020 and 2024. The total funding Pravfond has directed to recipients across Europe and beyond amounts to at least .6 million. The numbering system for grants hints at an additional 713 grants not present in the leaked archive, indicating a possibly even larger scope of financing.

In parallel, the Baltic investigative platform Re:Baltica shared a related leak of over 35,000 emails and around 2,300 documents from IMHOclub, a Kremlin-funded Russian-language opinion site based in Latvia, further mapping the network of influence.

Looking specifically at Bulgaria, Pravfond’s local beneficiaries received over 6,000 from 2014 through 2024, representing roughly 7% of the fund’s total grant allocations. While the emails mention other grants, some documentation is missing from the leak, leaving parts of the picture incomplete.

Most of the money has gone to Bulgarian media outlets and organizations that stage events aimed at promoting pro-Kremlin narratives and policies. Although Pravfond’s stated primary mission is to provide legal support to Russian citizens abroad, the funding for such legal aid in Bulgaria appears minimal.

The main recipients of these grants, transferred in euros or dollars via bank payments, are several Bulgarian-registered entities closely tied to key individuals:

• Federation "Union of Compatriots," led by Marina Dadikozyan, which organizes conferences and events;

• National Association Together with Russia, also under Dadikozyan, focused on similar activities;

• Interros Media Association, managed by Dadikozyan, which publishes the Russian-language portal "Vsemirnaya Rossiya";

• BRIP OOD (Bulgarian-Russian Information Pool), run by Svetlana Sharenkova, publisher of the weekly “Russia Today” and event organizer;

• Forum Bulgaria - Russia Association, another Sharenkova-linked group involved in conference and event organization.

BIRD.bg is currently preparing detailed reports on how these funds are used and the nature of the projects financed by Pravfond in Bulgaria, aiming to provide a clearer understanding of the Kremlin’s influence channels in the country.

Sources:

• OFFNews
• BIRD.bg