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Report of the Trustees and

Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

for

The Great Britain - Russia Society

The Great Britain - Russia Society






Contents of the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023




Page

Chairman's Report 1 to 8

Report of the Trustees 9 to 10

Independent Examiner's Report 11

Statement of Financial Activities 12

Balance Sheet 13

Notes to the Financial Statements 14 to 17

The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

My last Report covered the period from January to December 2022.

We have had another excellent series of talks, in total 15, over the past year (January-December 2023).

We aim to strike a balance between in-person and online talks. So eight of the talks were in-person talks which all took place on a 'hybrid' basis, with attendance being possible via the Zoom video-conferencing platform as well as in person. The seven other talks were held purely on Zoom.

The Zoom facility has again enabled us to attract a wider range of speakers, including from overseas. Of our seven Zoom talks, six were given by overseas speakers: three from the USA, one from the Russian Federation and one from Qatar.

Five of the eight in-person talks took place at Swedenborg House, where our experience is that the Swedenborg Hall (even though more expensive) is a more suitable venue for our in-person/hybrid events than the rather smaller David Wynter Room.

Thanks to the fruitful partnership we have now established with King's College, University of London (KCL), the last three of our in-person talks in the autumn were hosted on the Society's behalf by KCL at their well-appointed, centrally-located premises on the Strand Campus. We are very grateful to KCL for hosting these talks, which it does free of charge, and for the interaction that this brings between our members and the KCL staff and students.

Online attendance is also available in relation to the KCL-hosted events via Microsoft Teams, a video-conferencing platform similar to Zoom. As with Zoom, those attending the Microsoft Teams meeting are able to take part in the Q & A discussion, either by putting questions orally or by the Chat mechanism.

After completing the Talks Programme for January-March 2022, our two Talks Organisers, Lincoln Pigman and Daragh McDowell, decided after four years in the role to step down and were succeeded by Alla Potapova and Stephen Hall (please see further in this connection the section on Appointment of New Talks Organisers below). I would like to thank both teams of Talks Organisers for all their hard work, skill and perseverance over the last year in continuing to find high-calibre speakers for the Society, both from the UK and from overseas, on a wide variety of important and engaging topics.

In January 2023 Professor Andrew Wilson, who is Professor of Ukrainian Studies at University College, London's School of Slavonic and East European Studies, spoke to us at Swedenborg House on Politics in Wartime Ukraine. This was a very well-informed and up-to-date talk. The Ukrainian state has existed for just over 30 years as an independent entity, and Professor Wilson noted that this had been an eventful and turbulent period. Clearly, Russia's brutal invasion of 24 February 2022 had had a further huge impact on Ukraine's domestic politics and party system. Through his informative and wide-ranging talk, which was underpinned by some impressive statistical data (e.g. demonstrating very wide support for democracy across the country), Professor Wilson provided us with a clear picture of the current state of Ukrainian society and culture as well as its politics. Thanks to the valuable insights he shared with us, we acquired a much better understanding of Ukraine as a country and of the complexities of the Ukrainian-Russian relationship. It was very interesting to hear about the "Zelensky effect" and how successful the Ukrainian President had been in reaching out to Russian speakers in Ukraine even before 24 February 2022. It was clear that Russia's invasion had served only to strengthen Ukraine's sense of national identity.

In mid-February 2023 Dr. Nikolay Kozhanov delivered a talk by Zoom titled Russia and Iran: A strategic partnership? Dr Kozhanov holds a PhD in International Economics and Economic Security from Saint Petersburg State University and is a research associate professor at the Gulf Studies Centre of Qatar. This was a very timely talk. Dr Kozhanov set the scene by outlining Russia's foreign policy goals in the Middle East generally and described Russia's bilateral relationship with Iran - which was a complex and multi-faceted one - as it had developed over the last 30 years. A key factor in the development of the relationship was the geographical proximity of the two countries, Iran being important to Russia from the economic point of view as a convenient transport route. Dr Kozhanov went on to explain how the nature of the relationship had changed as a result of external factors: primarily, Russia's growing confrontation with the West, and then Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. This involved the two states putting aside conflicting regional interests and mutual distrust (including Russia's foreign policy goal of deterring nuclear proliferation), in order to cooperate bilaterally on a number of specific issues. Thus, there had undoubtedly been moves towards a cautious rapprochement. Dr Kozhanov's assessment, however, was that these developments had not transformed the relationship into a true "strategic partnership". Essentially, the new relationship was more a "marriage of convenience".


The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

At the end of February 2023 Professor Sergey Radchenko gave a talk titled Russia-NATO Relations in the 1990s: What went wrong? Sergey Radchenko, who is originally from Sakhalin, Russia, has a BA in international relations and Ph.D in International History from the London School of Economics. He is a professor at the Johns Hopkins Advanced School for International Studies in Baltimore, Maryland and a visiting professor of international relations at Cardiff University. In his informative and illuminating talk, Professor Radchenko. provided invaluable historical background and context before tracking the development of the Russia-NATO relationship throughout the 1990s. He reminded us how, until the invasion of Ukraine, the end of the Cold War undoubtedly stood as the greatest inflection point in global politics in living memory. As he pointed out, though, the NATO alliance - contrary to expectations - did not disband following the collapse of the Soviet Union, but remained in place as the basis of a new European security order. He described the Russia-NATO relationship as having been a dynamic and fluid one - and also a very complex one. In a balanced consideration of the historical evidence, in the course of which he presented different views and different perspectives, Professor Radchenko pointed out that there had been major misunderstandings on both sides - as well as mistakes - which had no doubt increased mutual suspicion. Regrettably, as a result, a great opportunity had been missed and the challenge of how to build a positive and constructive relationship between NATO and the fledgling Russian Federation had never been satisfactorily resolved, laying the ground for today's conflicts.

In mid-March 2023 Edward Lucas gave an in-person talk at Swedenborg House with the title Reporting on Russia, from the Cold War to the Ukraine War. Edward Lucas is a well-known Times columnist/journalist and author. He is also the prospective Parliamentary candidate at the next General Election for the Liberal Democrats in the constituency of the Cities of London and Westminster. In his well-informed and wide-ranging talk Edward Lucas referred to his book, "The New Cold War" (2007), in which he had warned of Russia's trajectory towards increasing repression at home and aggression abroad, and noted that this pessimistic prognosis had unfortunately been borne out only too fully by subsequent events. Edward Lucas went on to share his reflections on a career reporting on Russia and Eastern Europe: his foreign correspondent postings include Prague, the Baltic states and Moscow, where from 1998-2002 he was bureau chief for the Economist. And he gave his very clear views on the roots of the war in Ukraine, vigorously arguing that it was Western greed, naiveté, and arrogance which had (in part) enabled the rebirth of Russian imperialism and that the West's failure to heed any of the unmistakeable warning signals there had been over the last 20-plus years of Russia's increasing repression at home and aggression abroad had been "catastrophic". Needless to say, Edward Lucas did not consider that "NATO expansionism" was in any way responsible for Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

At the end of March 2023 Professor Susan Smith-Peter, a professor at CUNY (City University of New York) College of Staten Island, gave a stimulating and thought-provoking talk by Zoom titled What Russianists Owe Ukraine: A historian's perspective. In the course of her presentation, which was very clear and illustrated with some very helpful slides, Professor Smith-Peter graphically outlined the way in which the Putin regime had been misusing history (the 'politicisation' or falsification of history for political ends) and the particular responsibility that Western historians of Russia have, in the light of this, to ensure that their interpretation of Russian history corresponds with objective reality and does not (inadvertently or otherwise) promote false or distorted views of Russian history. In some cases, so as to ensure a greater degree of objectivity and balance, there may well be a need for a greater reflection of Ukrainian points of view. Professor Smith-Peter noted in this connection how, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the global Russianist community had reflected on how the two countries had been studied over the years and recognised the shortcomings of some of this scholarship

In early May 2023 the best-selling author and historian, Dr Helen Rappaport, gave a talk by Zoom on Russian Exiles in Paris Between the Wars. Initially in conversation with me and then in the course of a general Q & A discussion, Helen Rappaport discussed some of the themes and individual stories she explores in her book, After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War (2022). Helen reminded us that, as well as having always been a city of culture, fashion and refinement, Paris had also been a place of refuge for those fleeing persecution. Helen set the scene by initially focusing on the pre-Revolutionary period, recalling that for years Russian aristocrats had enjoyed all that Belle Époque Paris had to offer, spending lavishly when they visited. She also mentioned that Paris had been a place of artistic experimentation, as witnessed by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, and that many Russian artists - including Marc Chagall and Chaim Soutine - came to Paris in the period before the First World War, appreciating the liberating effect Paris had on their artistic creativity. Helen then turned to the post-Revolutionary period, when the brutality of the Bolshevik takeover in October 1917 forced Russians from all walks of life - intellectuals, artists, poets, writers and philosophers as well as aristocrats - to flee their homeland. Many of these Russian émigrés sought freedom and refuge in Paris. Many of them struggled in exile, eking out a living at menial jobs, while some - like Ivan Bunin, Marc Chagall and Igor Stravinsky - encountered great success. Helen told us in a gripping way about the individual fate of several of the émigrés, which was often quite sad, although not always. The experience of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna was particularly interesting. She was introduced by her brother, Dmitri (Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich), to Coco Chanel, who then helped Maria Pavlovna with her couture business, Maison Kitmir, at 7 Rue Montaigne.


The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

In mid-May 2023 Professor Alexander Mikaberidze, Professor of History at Louisiana State University-Shreveport, gave an illustrated talk by Zoom on The Making of the Field Marshal: The Many Lives of Mikhail Golenischev-Kutuzov. Professor Mikaberidze is an acknowledged expert on the Napoleonic Wars and the author of Kutuzov: A Life in War and Peace (2022), which earned the 2022 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for Military History. In his lecture, which was based on his book and illustrated with slides, Professor Mikaberidze described the historical context of the Napoleonic wars - the backdrop against which Field Marshal Kutusov's glittering military career evolved. Professor Mikaberidze's lecture was very informative. For example, we learnt about the brilliance of Count Peter Rumyantsev (1725-1796) - who appears little known in the West - as a military commander. Unfortunately, however, Professor Mikaberidze spent too much time on the early part of Field Marshal Kutuzov's life and family background, which reduced the length of time he was able to devote to the later part of the Field Marshal's life and career.

In early June 2023 Dr. James Pearce, gave a thoughtful, wide-ranging and engaging in-person talk at Swedenborg Hall with the title The Present Past: the use of history in contemporary Russia. Dr Pearce is a cultural historian of Russia at the College of West Anglia and the author of The Use of History in Putin's Russia (2020). He is currently writing a history of Russia's Golden Ring Cities. In his talk Dr Pearce looked at the use - or, rather, misuse - of history in contemporary Russia by the Putin regime. He explained how, under President Putin, in lieu of a vision for Russia's future, "history" had become a replacement for ideology in the Kremlin's propaganda operation. He went on to show how, for the State, patriotism in contemporary Russia goes hand in hand with accepting the 'right' historical narrative, which should, ideally, form the basis of society's worldview and how, in February 2022, Russia's past had become the backdrop for its invasion of Ukraine.

In early July 2023 Jennifer Antill, a long-standing member of the Society, gave an in-person talk at Swedenborg House with the title Inconvenient Truths: breathing life into post-Napoleonic Russia. In her illustrated talk, Jennifer told us about the challenges of researching and then writing her historical novel, Small Acts of Kindness: a tale of the first Russian Revolution. The book is first-class and is highly recommended. It is the subject of a very informative review by Barbara Emerson, GBRS Vice-Chairman, in the Autumn 2023 edition of East-West Review (Issue 63). The book tells a gripping story of love, mystery and adventure, set against the events surrounding the Decembrist uprising of 1825 which (with meticulous historical accuracy) it brilliantly evokes, the action taking place in both St Petersburg and the Russian provinces. In addition to discussing the problems of reconciling 'historical truth' with the demands of storytelling and the avoidance of historical anachronisms, Jennifer told us about the initial inspiration for the book and the challenge of creating an authentic sense of time and place.

In mid-July 2023 Dr Gregory Afinogenov, an Associate Professor of Imperial Russian History at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, gave a fascinating and stimulating talk by Zoom with the title Spies and Scholars: How the Russian Empire Learned to Study China. Dr Afinogenov's presentation covered a vast range of issues with consummate clarity and in a well-structured way, and was illustrated to good effect by the maps he displayed. The talk was based on Dr Afinogenov's first book, Spies and Scholars: Chinese Secrets and Imperial Russia's Quest for World Power, (2020). In this book Dr Afinogenov looks at the construction of a Russian intelligence network in Qing Dynasty China between 1650 and 1850 and the global ramifications of Imperial "knowledge-making" in Tsarist Russia. He skilfully adapted this theme for the purposes of his talk, in which he outlined with consummate clarity the nuances and complexities of the relationship between the Romanov and Qing Empires during Russia's eastward expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries. He described Russia's accompanying espionage operation, its methodology and objects and gave a very clear idea of the fluidity of the whole shifting frontier region between the two countries in what at that stage was a far from bipolar world. Dr Afinogenov showed how Russo-Chinese relations during this period fitted into a broader global context, especially Russia's long imperial rivalry with Great Britain. Finally, Dr Afinogenov emphasised the critical relationship between knowledge and power, and how, in order to understand Tsarist Russia's aspirations to world power, it is essential to understand how it produced and used different kinds of knowledge: both from espionage, in the form of information-gathering, and from research and scholarship.

In early September 2023 Dr. Alexandra Borisenko gave a delightful and inspirational talk by Zoom with the title British Literature in Russia: Can it survive? Dr Borisenko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Discourse and Communication Studies at Moscow State University. She is also a literary translator and critic, and - mostly in collaboration with her husband, Victor Sonkin - has translated the works of English authors, including Julian Barnes (Flaubert's Parrot and Before She Met Me) and Dorothy Sayers (Gaudy Night). In her talk, which she presented with impeccable clarity and very informative supporting slides, Dr Borisenko told us how Russian audiences have always been fascinated by British literature and culture - from Dickens to Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. She explained how, after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, publishing practices underwent dramatic changes and were eventually integrated into the international market. She went on to tell us that, during the present difficult period, although the Russian book market is in turmoil again, many modern British novels are still being translated into Russian. It was fascinating to hear from Dr Borisenko about her own experience as a translator and the linguistic and cross-cultural challenges faced by translators. She also told us about the translation, reception and publishing of works in Russia since 1991 by British and American authors, how the position has changed since 24 February 2022 and the particular challenges facing those like herself who seek to translate and publish English language works in present-day Russia.
Finally, as to the question posed in the title of her talk (Can British Literature in Russia survive?), Dr Borisenko's response was clear: "It will survive!"


The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

Chairman's note

(a) Most of our talks in the GB-Russia Society are about some facet of life, politics, history or culture in Russia or one of its near neighbours. It is wonderful that on this occasion our guest speaker was able to tell us about the impact of British culture/British literature on Russian audiences and how it is received - and appreciated - by the Russian reading public.

(b) Dr Borisenko's talk highlights the vital importance of cross-cultural exchanges. I know that many members of our Society passionately believe in the value of these, as a way of promoting better understanding between peoples. Such exchanges are particularly important in current circumstances.

(c) Tanya Linaker of King's Language Centre at KCL (which has hosted our last three talks) has recently written to me to say how important it is to keep "the dialogue between the two cultures (UK and Russia) open" and that she is "very grateful to the Great Britain-Russia Society for making it happen." Especially during the present difficult period I couldn't agree more.

(d) It was impressive to hear about the remarkable and valuable work that Dr Borisenko and her husband are doing in the present challenging situation. As one of our members eloquently put it, "it reminds us of the more positive future and of the quiet bravery of so many cultured and decent Russians at a time when this could be forgotten in the welter of conflict."

On 19 September 2023 we held the third annual Daniel Salbstein Memorial Lecture. We were deeply honoured that Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG KC, one of Great Britain-Russia Society's Honorary Vice-Presidents, had agreed to deliver the third in this series of Memorial Lectures dedicated to the memory of our principal founder and former Chairman and Talks Organiser, Daniel Salbstein OBE (1937-2020), in recognition of his unique role in the creation and development of the Society. Sir Malcolm Rifkind himself had a long and distinguished political career, in the course of which he had dealings with Russia at the very highest level in government, serving in the 1990s as Secretary of State for Defence and then as Foreign Secretary. The title of Sir Malcolm's talk, which he delivered at Swedenborg House, was Russia's Place in the World - Past, Present and Future. Sir Malcolm devoted part of his talk to an examination of the UK-Russia relationship, in the course of which he described his own involvement in the first Thatcher-Gorbachev meeting at Chequers in December 1984 and the wider significance of this meeting. Sir Malcolm went on to provide a lucid and comprehensive overview of the position of Russia in the world - present and future, as well as past - helpfully informed as it was by his extensive experience in government of both defence and foreign policy and by a shrewd and realistic appraisal of the present situation in Russia and the current state of war in Ukraine. As to the latter, he commented that President Putin had failed in his objective of destroying Ukraine as an independent State and that Russia's invasion had been wholly counter-productive in its effects, in that it had persuaded Sweden and Finland for the first time in 150 years to abandon neutrality and join NATO and had also created a clear sense of Ukrainian national identity and, indeed, achieved the unification of Ukraine. In relation to Russia's longer-term future, Sir Malcolm made the point that, if he were a Russian, he would be more worried about China than about NATO. And he suggested that, while Russia is Eurasian in terms of its territory, it is European in terms of its national identity and that Russia's best interests would be best served by looking for a way of achieving a new and more constructive relationship with the West. Sir Malcolm Rifkind's wide-ranging and enlightening talk provided a worthy commemoration of the Society's founder.

We are most grateful to Sir Malcolm Rifkind for having also written an article based on his Salbstein Lecture, with the same title: Russia's Place in the World - Past, Present and Present. This article was published on the Society's website on 9 October 2023 and will also be published in the New Year 2024 edition of East-West Review (Issue 64).

In early October 2023 Dr. Samuel Ramani gave an absorbing and comprehensive in-person talk at King's College, London with the title Russia in Africa: A Resurgent Great Power? Dr. Ramani is a tutor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford, where he received his doctorate in March 2021, and is an associate fellow at RUSI (Royal United Services Institute). In his informative and wide-ranging talk Dr Ramani built on the themes of his new book "Russia in Africa: Resurgent Great Power or Bellicose Pretender?" (2023), and gave a clear overview of Russia's "Africa policy". He gave us a number of invaluable, evidence-based insights into the true extent of Russia's influence in Africa, how it has developed over the last few decades and what its prospects are for the future. By way of example, Dr Ramani mentioned the limited value of the trade deals Russia has negotiated and the limited effectiveness of the security operations Russia has conducted, whether through Wagner or other PMCs ("Private Military Companies"). Dr Ramani's conclusion - that Russia, through its Africa policy, has at the very most been able to achieve only 'virtual Great Power' status (but not 'actual Great Power' status) - was compelling.


The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

In mid-November 2023 Roger Cockrell gave an illuminating and uplifting in-person talk at King's College, London (and by Zoom) on Leo Tolstoy and the Force of Music: From Chopin to Wagner. Roger Cockrell is a long-standing member of the Society. From 1980 until 2004 he was head of the Russian Department at Exeter University, where he is currently an honorary research fellow. He has published widely on many aspects of 19th and 20th- century Russian literature and culture and is an accomplished literary translator. In his talk Roger Cockrell explored Tolstoy's attitude towards music, drawing our attention to Ivan Bunin's comment that, while Tolstoy was not a musician, he had "an astonishing sensitivity to music". Roger went on to demonstrate how Tolstoy's response to music reflected the fundamental split in his character between a deeply engrained puritanism on the one hand and an equally profound sensuousness on the other. He illustrated the theme of his talk with the playing of well-chosen extracts of music composed by Chopin (Nocturne in E Flat Major), Wagner (Siegfried), Mozart (Là ci darem la mano from Don Giovanni) and Beethoven (The Kreuzer Sonata). Roger discussed the significance of "Chto takoye iskusstvo" // What is Art? (1897) and Tolstoy's novella "Kreytserova sonata" // The Kreuzer Sonata (1889), as well as drawing our attention to such wonderful short stories as "Khadzhi-Murat" // Hadji Murat (posthumously published in1911) and "Posle bala" // After the Ball (1903). Roger also provided a very useful hand-out including the text of the most important quotations he referred to in his talk, in the course of which he shared with us a number of invaluable insights which deepened our appreciation of Tolstoy's creative genius and his complexity as a human being.

In late November 2023 the celebrated journalist and author, Luke Harding, gave an in-person talk at King's College, London with the title Russia's Invasion of Ukraine: An Update from the Frontline. Luke Harding has been a foreign correspondent for The Guardian since 2000 and has covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and, most recently, Ukraine. Luke was in Kyiv when the invasion began and spent much of 2022 and 2023 there. Initially in conversation with me and then in the course of a general Q & A discussion, Luke Harding talked to us about the reality on the ground in Ukraine as described in his brilliant book, Invasion: Russia's Bloody War and Ukraine's Fight for Survival, and updated us with his insights into the situation as at November 2023. These were informed by Luke's most recent visits to Ukraine and his extensive on-the-ground reporting and first-hand experience at all levels of President Zelenskiy's Administration and the Ukrainian military. Luke's description of the situation in Ukraine was both powerful and vivid, and he communicated it with immense clarity of vision and compassion. He also established an excellent rapport with the audience, as the questions both in the room and online demonstrated. (Luke's book, which was first published in November 2022, was the first book of reportage from the front line of the Ukraine war. The paper-back edition - which was published in June 2023 - included a new chapter on the liberation of Kherson. The book is a powerful and moving "first draft of history" and has been described by Anne Applebaum as "An excellent, moving account of an ongoing tragedy" and by Simon Sebag Montefiore as "Compelling, important and heartbreaking." The book was shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize.)

First Discussion Group: Russian Poetry - Saturday, 2nd December 2023

In early December 2023 we held our first "Discussion Group" meeting. The idea of discussion groups is that a small group of us - say, around a dozen or so - meet in person in an informal setting to discuss a particular subject. The Committee's hope is that this kind of meeting will enable members to take a more active part than is feasible with the traditional talk/ Q & A format and will also help members to get to know each other better.
For the first Discussion Group our discussion focused on Russian poetry, its never-ending appeal and its enduring importance in Russian culture.

Several of us met at 12 noon on Saturday, 2nd December in the Windsor Castle pub (formerly 'The Cardinal'), at 23 Francis Street London SW1P 1DN (just round the corner from Westminster Cathedral) and read poems in Russian by Pushkin, Lermontov, Mandelstam, Blok and Levitansky (English translations were provided) and had a very interesting, informative and enjoyable discussion about the poems that we read and the poets in question.

The high point of the afternoon came at the very end, when Natasha Dissanayake (as a "surprise") produced to us a wonderful pre-Revolutionary edition of Lermontov's Complete Works, with very fine illustrations. Natasha told us that she had first encountered the pre-Revolutionary edition of this work when she was a nine-year old child in Moscow. The volume she discovered then, which had a luxurious embossed red binding with a gold edge, belonged to a neighbour in Moscow who lent it to Natasha from time to time over the course of about five years. Natasha had ever since been enchanted by the book. Natasha then told us how about three years ago, when a former student and member of the Sutton Russian Circle died, his daughters had invited her to take possession of some Russian books which their father had left. When sorting through the books Natasha was absolutely stunned when she came across another copy of the same precious pre-Revolutionary edition of Lermontov's Complete Works (the one she produced to us), the only difference being that its cover was pale blue instead of red!

This first Discussion Group was judged a success. So we will certainly wish to repeat this in the New Year and next time look forward to choosing a subject suggested by one of our members.






The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

Annual Members Meeting

The Annual Members Meeting (AMM) this year was held as a hybrid event in-person at Swedenborg Hall and via Zoom on Tuesday, 4th April 2023. A total of 26 members attended, 18 in-person and eight via Zoom. This was the first in-person Annual Members Meeting since March 2019. In the course of the AMM I reviewed the highlights of the previous year. I mentioned that the Zoom facility had again enabled attraction of a wider range of speakers, including ten overseas speakers - five from the USA, and one each from Armenia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Ukraine - thereby (as aptly expressed by Daragh McDowell) "unshackling GBRS from geography". I also said that we were delighted to be able to announce that The Rt Hon. Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG KC had kindly agreed to deliver the third Salbstein Memorial Lecture in late September 2023. I noted that Sir Malcolm was a distinguished political figure and excellent speaker, as well as being one of the Society's Honorary Vice-Presidents and that, coincidentally, on 14 March 2023 he had also delivered the BEARR Trust's 30th Anniversary Lecture.

The War in Ukraine

In my opening remarks at the AMM on 4 April 2023 I referred to the appalling war being waged by Russia against Ukraine, which had cast a long shadow over the whole year, and noted that it appeared to be in an 'attrition' phase, dragging on at enormous human cost, with little prospect of ending soon.

I noted that we had updated the Trustees' statement on the Society's website condemning the war in April and then again in August 2022, and confirmed that we are continuing to take the war into very careful account in the way we are carrying out our duties as Trustees, including in relation to the planning of our talks programmes and choice of subjects for our talks, the content of East-West Review and postings on the website. One example had been the fact that in the New Year 2023 edition of East-West Review (Issue 61) we had re-published an article by Dr Rowan Williams powerfully condemning the war and the shameless support for it by the Russian Orthodox hierarchy. This article had originally appeared in the October 2022 Keston Newsletter. (Needless to say, this had been with the full agreement of Rowan Williams and of Xenia Dennen and her fellow Trustees at Keston Institute.)

Wholesale suppression of dissent and opposition in the Russian Federation

The war unfortunately continues and shows no sign of ending. At the same we have all viewed with dismay the total clampdown on freedom of speech and civil liberties that has occurred in Russia itself during this period. There has been a wholesale suppression of dissent or opposition to the war and the regime. Anyone criticising the regime or speaking out against the war - or even describing it as such - risks imprisonment or even worse.

On 17 April 2023 Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is a dual British and Russian national, was sentenced by Judge Sergei Podoprigovorov in Moscow to 25 years in prison for speaking out against Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The Trustees thought it right to publish a statement on the GBRs website (on 22 April 2023) unreservedly condemning this appalling and wholly unjust sentencing decision. We noted that opponents of the war were now feeling the full effects of the brutality which has marked Russia's entire campaign against Ukraine. In that statement the Trustees expressed their solidarity with Vladimir Kara-Murza and all the brave advocates of a brighter future for Russia who are being held without any justification whatsoever, including Aleksei Navalny, Ilya Yashin and the many others who serve their country and their fellow citizens at great personal cost by courageously standing up for freedom, democracy and common human decency.

In the current situation it is important to remember that a clear distinction remains between the government or regime ruling a country and its people and culture. This point is graphically illustrated by the fact that in early December - as reported in The Times on 8 December 2023 - Yekaterina Duntsova bravely declared her candidacy to run against President Putin in the Presidential Elections on 17 March 2024. Yekaterina wanted to run on a platform to end the war in Ukraine and to release all political prisoners, and her campaign slogan was "Return Our Country's Future". Yekaterina has said: "I love our country, I want Russia to be a democratic, prosperous and peaceful state." And she has reminded everyone that "Russia is not Putin, and Putin is not Russia". Unfortunately, but predictably, the central electoral commission in Moscow unanimously rejected Yekaterina Duntsova's candidacy because of alleged flaws in her application to register and she is now barred from running against President Putin (The Guardian, 23 December 2023).

Appointment of new Talks Organisers

At the AMM on 4 April 2023 I recorded the Society's deep gratitude to Lincoln Pigman and Daragh McDowell for having for four years jointly discharged their role as Talks Organisers with hard work, skill, dedication an imagination, so that the Society has had the privilege of hosting speakers of consistently high calibre from both the UK and overseas on a wide and stimulating range of topics.

I then welcomed Alla Potapova and Stephen Hall, and expressed delight that they had now been appointed as the new Talks Organisers, noting that both were well-qualified in terms of experience and expertise: Stephen being Assistant Professor in Russian and Post-Soviet Politics at the University of Bath, and Alla an English-Russian translator/ interpreter interested in Russian literature and culture.


The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

The role of the Talks Organisers is an important one, being to ensure that the Society's future Talks Programme continues to feature high-quality guest speakers on a wide range of subjects, and in a way which helps to fulfil the Society's objective of promoting a wider and deeper understanding of Russia and its near neighbours and all aspects of their culture, history and politics.

I am pleased to report that Alla and Stephen have made an excellent start and the Committee is grateful to them both for their enthusiasm and the imaginative and constructive suggestions they have made for the Spring/Summer and Autumn Talks Programmes in 2023.

Appointment of new Treasurer

At the AMM on 4 April 2023 I said how sad we all were that Jenny Alexander had decided to step down as the Society's Hon. Treasurer. I expressed the Society's warm appreciation of Jenny's commendably sound and prudent stewardship of the Society's financial affairs during her faithful six years of service in post.

I referred to the message about this which had been circulated on 1st April 2023, in which I indicated that we were accordingly inviting expressions of interest from members interested in taking on this important role, which is so crucial to the effective functioning and future development of the Society.

Following this, in the message that was circulated on 31 July 2023 I said that I was delighted to inform members that the Committee had unanimously decided to appoint Robert Whiteford to take over from Jenny as our new Hon. Treasurer.

Robert has been a member of the Society since 2019. In the message to members I noted that Robert was well-qualified to take over as our Treasurer. He has impressive business experience in marketing and data analysis, ran his own company for ten years and has considerable experience in managing financial accounts. Last but not least, I noted that Robert was positively enthusiastic about taking on the role and was looking forward to making a real contribution to the future development of the Society.

Robert's appointment took effect on 1st July 2023, which coincided with the start of the Society's new financial year. The Committee is grateful to Jenny for ensuring that there was a smooth handover to Robert of her financial responsibilities and for the comprehensive and detailed briefing she provided in this connection. I am delighted to say that Robert has settled into the role of Hon. Treasurer very quickly and is already making a valuable contribution to the work of the Committee.

East-West Review

As members know, the Society's journal, East-West Review, is published three times a year. It is a highly regarded publication, which is stocked by the British Library and other national and University libraries throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. I would like to pay tribute to the journal's Editor, Andrew Sheppard, for the meticulous care he takes with its production and publication and for having ensured that the New Year, Spring/Summer and Autumn editions of East-West Review in 2023 (Issues 61, 62 and 63) were all of the same outstanding quality as in previous years. Andrew points out, however, that the journal could not exist without the wide-ranging, imaginative and so-informative and entertaining written and sometimes pictorial contributions of members. Yet more new angles on our wonderfully wide area of interest will always be welcome.

Disbursement of funds/sponsorship

As noted in my Report last year, in December 2022 the Committee agreed to contribute £250 to each of the following four independent Russian and Ukrainian media organisations who feature on the Society's website (and who are all operating outside Russia): Novaya Gazeta Europe, Meduza, Moscow Times and The Kyiv Independent. The Committee also decided to highlight the vital importance of the journalistic work undertaken by these organisations by publishing a 'statement of solidarity' on our website.

Recording of Talks

Of the 15 talks this year, 12 were recorded, including six of the hybrid talks and six of the Zoom talks. In every case, this was of course with the prior agreement of the speaker. These recordings are stored on the website, representing a valuable and accessible archive of material for the future. The recordings are accessible via the website for viewing in the way described in the message to members which the Hon. Membership Secretary circulated on 11 October 2022, which explains how the GBRS policy on the recording of talks works in practice. I believe that by-and-large the recording process so far has gone well. We do of course welcome feedback from members on this issue, as on other matters.

The recording of Zoom talks has so far only involved the Chair's introduction and the lecture itself but not the Q & A. The last three talks in the Autumn programme hosted by KCL, which were recorded on Microsoft Teams, did record the Q & A: this did not appear to be in any way problematic.



The Great Britain - Russia Society

Chairman's Report
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023



Review of Twitter

I reported on our trial use of Twitter (now "X") at our AMM. The position remains unchanged since then. Nothing untoward has arisen as a result of our use of Twitter. But nor has there been any attributable increase in the number of people attending talks or in becoming members of the Society. In the absence of any discernible benefit, the Committee has therefore decided to discontinue our use of Twitter/X for the time being. We are now exploring the possible benefits of using Instagram.

Conclusion

I have already paid tribute to the sterling work of the Editor of East-West Review and of those who have served as Talks Organisers and as Hon. Treasurer throughout the year. I would also wish to record my sincere appreciation of the hard work and unfailing support over the last year of all members of the Committee, whether this is in relation to communications with our members, publicity and marketing, administrative and website issues, the recording of talks or Zoom-hosting.

As a charity, the Society remains entirely volunteer-run. As previously noted, this is a great strength in uncertain times. But I hope that members appreciate that the Great Britain-Russia Society will only continue to thrive and flourish if members regularly come forward to offer their time and skills, so as to refresh and develop the services which the Society offers. I would add that the Trustees and I are always open to any suggestions or ideas which members may have for the improvement and future development of the Society.


David Brummell December 2023

The Great Britain - Russia Society (Registered number: 08143145)

Report of the Trustees
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023


The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 June 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
The charity's objects are to advance the education of the public in particular, but not exclusively, in the following: the historical background, culture, the economic, political, social and trends in the Russian Federation and in all the former Republics of the USSR by such charitable means as the executive committee sees fit from time to time.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
The Great Britain Russia Society had another busy year as described in the Chairman's report with a full programme of high-quality lectures, about half on Zoom and half both in-person and online. Overall the Society reported a small surplus of around £0.4K for 2022/2023, only slightly below that of the previous year.
The Society's total income from its activities (excluding Gift Aid and the dividend income) was very close to £9.0K, virtually the same as the previous financial year. The revenue from membership subscriptions was down by a small amount of about £0.2K but this shortfall was more than compensated by the increased revenue from ticket sales for talks of £0.4K.
The Society's total annual expenditure was £12.0K in 2022/23 which was higher than in the previous year by the small amount of £0.5K. Two of the Society's activities experienced large increases in expenditures during the year. The first was Venue Hire (£2.0K vs £0.2K). This increased as in-person events restarted, generating a real benefit for our members and the Society. Sponsorship which took the form of four equal donations to the organisations Novaya Gazeta Europe, Moscow Times, Meduza & The Kyiv Independent totalled £1.1K. In the previous year no donations were made.
The production costs of our journal East-West Review (about 58% of our annual expenditures) continued to show small increases because of the increasing costs of both printing and postage. These costs are likely to continue to increase in future.
Investment in our website was £1.5K in 2022/23 which represented about half that of the previous year (£1.5K vs £3.5K). This reduction was achieved because the start-up costs of the 'new' website had all been paid in the previous year.
Dividend income from the Society's investment funds increased by 10% to £3.3K in 2022/23 vs the previous year. However the value of the investment funds themselves was £55.7K at 30 June 2023, lower than at 30 June 2022 (£58.9K) which gave rise to a negative revaluation year on year of £3.2K, almost balancing the increase income from the dividends.
The Gift Aid for the year will be £527, a decrease of £0.20K on last year's amount. The application for this is currently in progress. The amount of £11 which appears in the accounts is "a correction to the opening balance of the accrued income".

FINANCIAL REVIEW
Reserves policy
The Society's total funds at 30 June 2023 were £78.2K (end June 2022 £81.0K). The Society's reserves are considered sufficient for its needs and in line with its reserves policy which aims to maintain sufficient funds to generate income to support its regular activities and future plans.

FUTURE PLANS
The Society plans to continue its full programme of lectures with a mixture of Zoom and hybrid events and to produce three issues of East-West Review a year. Expansion into other events/activities in line with its objective is also being considered. A focus will be on continuing to build the partnership that has been established with King's College London which allows the Society to hold its talks on their premises. This activity is expected to boost our membership, particularly amongst younger people.

The decision has been taken not to use Twitter/X for the time being as out trial had shown no measurable impact on our membership or attendance at talks. A trial of Instagram is being considered as an alternative. The periodic digital newsletter and archive of previous talks mentioned in the previous year's report, has now been established in an attempt to broaden the reach of our activities and attract new members.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered Company number
08143145 (England and Wales)


The Great Britain - Russia Society (Registered number: 08143145)

Report of the Trustees
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

Registered Charity number
1148802

Registered office
Ground Floor, 123 Pall Mall
London
SW1Y 5EA

Trustees
Ms U A H Lynch Civil Servant
Dr E M Robson Elliot Media Consultant
J S Thom Business Consultant
Ms S A von Bennigsen Director
J A Alexander Director (resigned 14.7.23)
H Pares
Mrs B C Emerson (appointed 14.7.23)
D Brummell
R Whiteford Treasurer

Company Secretary
H Pares

Independent Examiner
Hawksford UK Services Limited
123 Pall Mall
St. James's
London
SW1Y 5EA

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 7 March 2024 and signed on its behalf by:





D Brummell - Trustee

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of
The Great Britain - Russia Society

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Great Britain - Russia Society ('the Company')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 June 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.








Rebecca Cox

Hawksford UK Services Limited
123 Pall Mall
St. James's
London
SW1Y 5EA

12 March 2024

The Great Britain - Russia Society

Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

30.6.23 30.6.22
Unrestricted Total
fund funds
Notes £    £   
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Charitable activities
Subscriptions, talks and other activities 8,991 9,535

Investment income 2 3,329 3,051
Total 12,320 12,586

EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds 360 -

Charitable activities
Subscriptions, talks and other activities 11,963 11,469
Total 12,323 11,469

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (3 ) 1,117
Other recognised gains/(losses)
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets (3,171 ) (1,846 )
Net movement in funds (3,174 ) (729 )

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 81,052 81,781

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 77,878 81,052

The Great Britain - Russia Society (Registered number: 08143145)

Balance Sheet
30 June 2023

30.6.23 30.6.22
Unrestricted Total
fund funds
Notes £    £   
FIXED ASSETS
Investments 5 55,685 58,856

CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 6 743 1,124
Cash at bank 25,222 22,385
25,965 23,509

CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year 7 (3,772 ) (1,313 )

NET CURRENT ASSETS 22,193 22,196

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 77,878 81,052

NET ASSETS 77,878 81,052
FUNDS 8
Unrestricted funds 77,878 81,052
TOTAL FUNDS 77,878 81,052

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 June 2023.


The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.


The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
(a)ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
(b)preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.


The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 7 March 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:





D Brummell - Trustee

The Great Britain - Russia Society

Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, as modified by the revaluation of certain assets.

Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Investment income is earned through holding assets for investment purposes such as shares. Where it is not practicable to identify investment management costs incurred within a scheme with reasonable accuracy the investment income is reported net of these costs. It is included when the amount can be measured reliably. Dividend is recognised as the charity's right to receive payment is established.

Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Going concern
There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

2. INVESTMENT INCOME
30.6.23 30.6.22
£    £   
Investment fund dividends 3,329 3,051


The Great Britain - Russia Society

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

3. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 30 June 2023 nor for the year ended 30 June 2022.


Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 30 June 2023 nor for the year ended 30 June 2022.


4. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted
fund
£   
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Charitable activities
Subscriptions, talks and other activities 9,535

Investment income 3,051
Total 12,586

EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
Subscriptions, talks and other activities 11,469

NET INCOME 1,117
Other recognised gains/(losses)
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets (1,846 )
Net movement in funds (729 )

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 81,781

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 81,052

5. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS
Listed
investments
£   
MARKET VALUE
At 1 July 2022 58,856
Revaluations (3,171 )
At 30 June 2023 55,685
NET BOOK VALUE
At 30 June 2023 55,685
At 30 June 2022 58,856

There were no investment assets outside the UK.

The Great Britain - Russia Society

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

5. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS - continued

Cost or valuation at 30 June 2023 is represented by:

Listed
investments
£   
Valuation in 2014 504
Valuation in 2015 (103 )
Valuation in 2016 (1,773 )
Valuation in 2017 6,210
Valuation in 2018 991
Valuation in 2019 (1,483 )
Valuation in 2020 (12,230 )
Valuation in 2021 9,982
Valuation in 2022 (1,846 )
Valuation in 2023 (3,171 )
Cost 58,604
55,685

The fair value of listed investments is determined by reference to the latest fund manager valuation.

6. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
30.6.23 30.6.22
£    £   
Accrued income 5 734
Prepayments 738 390
743 1,124

7. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
30.6.23 30.6.22
£    £   
Trade creditors 1,827 160
Accrued expenses 1,945 1,153
3,772 1,313

8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
Net
movement At
At 1.7.22 in funds 30.6.23
£    £    £   
Unrestricted funds
General fund 81,052 (3,174 ) 77,878

TOTAL FUNDS 81,052 (3,174 ) 77,878

The Great Britain - Russia Society

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued
for the Year Ended 30 June 2023

8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming Resources Gains and Movement
resources expended losses in funds
£    £    £    £   
Unrestricted funds
General fund 12,320 (12,323 ) (3,171 ) (3,174 )

TOTAL FUNDS 12,320 (12,323 ) (3,171 ) (3,174 )


Comparatives for movement in funds

Net
movement At
At 1.7.21 in funds 30.6.22
£    £    £   
Unrestricted funds
General fund 81,781 (729 ) 81,052

TOTAL FUNDS 81,781 (729 ) 81,052

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming Resources Gains and Movement
resources expended losses in funds
£    £    £    £   
Unrestricted funds
General fund 12,586 (11,469 ) (1,846 ) (729 )

TOTAL FUNDS 12,586 (11,469 ) (1,846 ) (729 )

9. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 30 June 2023.