Authoritarian regimes like Russia and China use malign finance—the funding of foreign political parties, candidates, campaigns, well-connected elites, or politically influential groups, often through non-transparent structures designed to obfuscate ties to a nation state or its proxies—to interfere in democracies. Find ASD’s work on malign finance and the threat it poses to democracy on this page.
Interference Matters
Bribes and Backdoors: Huawei’s Lobbying Scandal Shakes the EU
Bribes and Backdoors: Huawei’s Lobbying Scandal Shakes the EU
On March 13, 2025, police raided more than 20 addresses across Europe and sealed two offices in the European Parliament amid suspicions of bribery by Chinese technology giant Huawei. According to media reports, Huawei is suspected of using "items in [...]
Russian Meddling in Moldova: Extremely Brazen and Incredibly Alarming
Few national contexts offer a more disturbing picture of Russian malign foreign interference than Moldova’s. As the country readies for critical elections on October 20, it also faces a barrage of Russian hybrid attacks of remarkable scale and inten [...]
Bribes and Lies: Foreign Interference in Europe in 2024
2024 is a year of critical elections around the world. This holds especially true in Europe, where, in June alone, the European Parliament elections, British snap elections, and surprise French parliamentary elections all took place in quick success [...]
Russia Is Still Finding Willing Partners Throughout Europe
While the news cycle is still abuzz with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s interview of Russian President Vladimir Putin, flying under the radar are new details about Russian intelligence’s role in cultivating ties with political parties in Euro [...]
Civil Society in Ukraine’s Restoration: A Guide to CSOs Mobilizing for a Marshall Plan
Executive Summary Ukraine has one of the most vibrant civil societies in the world. In the decade since it launched and led the Revolution of Dignity, Ukrainian civil society has held successive governments’ feet to the fire while at the same time [...]
Josh Rudolph in MSNBC: Yevgeny Prigozhin Embodies the Rot Putin Wants to Force Back on Ukraine
While corruption has undermined Russia's war effort, anti-corruption efforts have made Ukraine more resilient. The abortive rebellion by Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin against Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, has only rein [...]
West Supports Ukraine Anti-Corruption Efforts at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London
Thanks to the European Union, this week’s Ukraine Recovery Conference in London will prove to be the most significant international event of the year to rally support for a thriving Ukraine. Indeed, the EU’s showing was so robust that it signals Ukr [...]
Josh Rudolph on Inside Sources: Rebuilding Ukraine Requires Winning on the Anti-Corruption Front
World leaders, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are gathered in London today to talk about rebuilding Ukraine. They have already pledged billions of dollars in aid to help rebuild the country. Josh Rudolph from the Alliance for Sec [...]
Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Front
Executive Summary Remarkably, while fighting for their lives against Russian invasion, Ukrainians continue to wage their long internal battle against oligarchy and corruption. Ukraine is midway through this generational struggle, which began on th [...]
Josh Rudolph on How to Build Back Ukraine on the Power Vertical
Most eyes are on the fighting in the Donbas as Ukraine’s counteroffensive appears to get under way. But far from the front lines, a vital discussion is taking place in Western capitals: What will it take to rebuild Ukraine when the war is finally ov [...]
Autocrats Within
Executive Summary The greatest threats facing the two most consequential elections in and around Europe in 2023—Turkey in May and Poland in the fall—come from autocratic corruption within these two backsliding democracies. Both these countries are [...]
Accountability and Transparency in Ukrainian Recovery and Reconstruction
The scale of Russia’s devastation and destruction in Ukraine will eventually have to be matched by a recovery and reconstruction process equal to the Marshall Plan. To prevent the massive flow of financial assistance from leaking into corruption and [...]