A 2013 article on the website of Russian State News Agency TASS claims that not long after a close friend of Vladimir Putin, Vasily Shestakov met David Cameron at a Tory Party fundraiser, the former Tory leader “approved” of the creation of a pro-Russian PR organisation created by two pro-Putin Tory Party donors, Timothy Lewin, David Burnside:

Russia takes new steps to improve its image abroad

MOSCOW, July 9 (Itar-Tass) 

Recently, the Russian authorities have been taking new steps to improve Russia’ image abroad. Thus, the Positive Russia Foundation has been established in London with the aim of creating a positive image of Russia in Great Britain, Izvestia daily said in Tuesday’s issue, quoting Duma MP Vasily Shestakov-one of the head officials of the new foundation, as saying. This organization was registered in London in the end of June. It was established on the initiative of British public activist Baron Tim Lewin and the owner of a Public Relations consultancy agency, David Burnside.

Their plans to create the foundation were approved by Prince Michael of Kent and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr. Shestakov met the British prime minister at a congress of the Conservative Party which invited Shestakov to attend as a guest of honor in the end of June.

This was the initiative of the British side which believes that recently, the information about Russia has been presented from a one-sided position only, while Britons want an objective information which does not go through the prism of the anti-Russian propaganda, Shestakov said.

Shestakov is an old friend of Vladimir Putin. The two know each other since school years when Shestakov and Vladimir Putin used to go in for sport together. Shestakov and Putin are the co-authors of several books on judo- “Judo History, Theory, Practice”, and “Learn Judo with Vladimir Putin.”

The authorities have been seriously pondering over the problem how to improve Russia’s image abroad. For this purpose the Kremlin has already invited leading PR agencies, created a TV channel, opened several radio stations and offices of printed media orientated at foreign audiences.

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Related articles by Tom Pride:

The hypocrisy of Cameron: pro-Putin Russian oligarchs give millions to Tory Party

How Russians are bankrolling the Tory Party 

Shhh! Don’t tell MI5 but here’s a Russian spy with his ‘good friend’ Boris Johnson