Assault on agency – which provided aid and helped to build up civil society in 1990s – backed by region’s autocrats

Across the former Soviet bloc, rightwing and autocratic government have their knives out for USAid, demanding data on grant recipients from Elon Musk and threatening employees and grant recipients with investigations and prison.

USAid has long been a thorn in the side of governments in the region who have railed against US support for pro-democracy and civil society movements. Now, local leaders for the first time see an ally in Washington that will back a crackdown on USAid and its beneficiaries as “criminals”.