▁were ▁not ▁always ▁un ited , ▁and ▁occasionally ▁fought ▁one ▁another ▁and ▁critic ized ▁the ▁Russian ▁influence , ▁though ▁this ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁partly ▁a ▁sm okes creen ▁designed ▁to ▁increase ▁their ▁support ▁among ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁The ▁Magn ates ▁were ▁aligned ▁with ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁and ▁formed ▁two ▁groups , ▁one ▁a ided ▁by ▁Russian ▁Amb assador ▁Otto ▁Magn us ▁von ▁Stack el berg , ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁by ▁Gr ig ory ▁Pot em kin . ▁Many ▁of ▁them ▁had ▁received ▁financial ▁assistance ▁from ▁the ▁Rus si ans . ▁The ▁Rus si ans ▁w ield ed ▁substantial ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁Commonwealth , ▁often ▁by ▁b rib ing ▁Se jm ▁( par liament ) ▁deput ies , ▁ens uring ▁that ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁threaten ▁Russian ▁state ▁interests . ▁Russia ' s ▁Em press ▁Catherine ▁II ▁saw ▁the ▁Patri otic ▁Party ' s ▁reform ▁attempts ▁as ▁a ▁threat ▁to ▁Russian ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁Commonwealth , ▁and ▁possibly ▁as ▁a ▁long - term ▁danger ▁to ▁absolute ▁mon archy ▁in ▁Russia ▁itself . ▁ ▁After math ▁After ▁the ▁Patri otic ▁Party ▁succeeded ▁in ▁passing ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁ 3 ▁May , ▁the ▁het mans ▁and ▁their ▁supp or ters ▁created ▁the ▁T arg ow ica ▁Confeder ation ▁in ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁traditional ▁Golden ▁Libert ies ▁and ▁the ▁cardinal ▁laws , ▁and ▁called ▁for ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁for ▁assistance . ▁After ▁the ▁War ▁in ▁Def ense ▁of ▁the ▁Constitution , ▁which ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁Confeder ates ▁and ▁their ▁Russian ▁al lies , ▁the