Former pocket «voluntary battalion» of Yevhen Balytsky, Russian occupation governor of Zaporizhzhia region, is in the focus of public scandal. Volunteers left BARS-32 (its self-title – «Battalion named after P.A.Sudoplatov») whereas the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation investigates embezzlement of resources for fortifications transferred through Russian «state unitary enterprise» with the same title. Dmitrii Rogozin, Russian «senator» from occupied Zaporizhzhia region, tries to save the battalion and sends commander of his «brigade «Tsar Wolves» to manage it.
For the beginning, let us recall the origins of so-called «voluntary battalion named after Sudoplatov». It was launched by Yevhen Balytsky, head of Russian occupation administration in Zaporizhzhia region, in occupied Melitopol in autumn 2022. It has been created as the «promo or tik tok battalion» of Balytsky and «shelter» for his older son Oleksandr (he is the de jure owner of family businesses in Crimea and Russia).
At first, the unit did not participate in the military fighting. Then, it has been legalized as military unit called «BARS-32».
In order to support the unit and to channel budgetary resources under its umbrella, its initiators set up Russian «state unitary enterprise» with the same title and status of «commercial» in September 2022.
Since March 2023, BARS-32 has been attached to the 58th Army of the Russian Armed Forces. It fights in Zaporizhzhia region. As the Center of Journalist Investigations found out, BARS-32 included Ukrainian policemen-traitors and corrupted public officials, Russian paratroopers, doctor and beekeeper, Crimean fraudulent entrepreneur, Serbian ultra-right mercenaries and other people with dubious biographies.
Left – Dmytro Pogrebnyak («Shaman»), commander of «battalion named after Sudoplatov» (BARS-32). Photo: Telegram 2023
Dmytro Pogrebnyak (call sign «Shaman») has been commander of battalion for long time. He has been also the director of «state unitary enterprise» for four months in 2023. As we revealed, Pogrebnyak has been a solder of rapid response team called «Sokil» of the Department for Fight with Organized Crime of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs in Luhansk. After the Russian occupation of Luhansk, he broke his oath to Ukraine and joined military units of so-called «Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics».
«Piton» instead of «Shaman»
Russian propagandists demonstrated video about «daily life of battalion named after Sudoplatov» at the end of last week. One of its speakers was called «commander of military unit» with call sign «Piton».
«Piton» is 51 year old Batsev Artur Yevgenyevich, Russian military professional. He participated in the so-called anti-terrorist operation in Northern Caucasus as commander of Khankali separate battalion of internal troops. Then, he resigned as Colonel.
The Center of Journalist Investigation identified him in our investigation «Tsar Wolves-2. Squads of Bars, their commanders and this «brigade» is not PMC of Rogozin».
Batsev has fought Ukraine in Donbas since the beginning of Russian «special military operation». He commanded Cossack voluntary «battalions» named after otaman Zakharii Chepiga (BARS-1) and Kuban (BARS-11). They joined so-called brigade «Tsar Wolves», created upon the initiative of Dmitrii Rogozin, at the beginning of 2023. These units have also attached to the Russian 58th Army. They fight in Zaporizhzhia region, in the area of Verbove-Robotyno.
Rogozin’s assistant Artyom Artyomov («Neman»), «senator» Dmitrii Rogozin («Sarmat»), Artur Batsev («Piton»), commander of brigade «Tsar Wolves», Photo: telegram channel «Tsar Wolves»
Since the launch of his brigade, Dmitrii Rogozin has closely cooperated with Russian occupation «governor» Balytsky. He received the position of the «Russian senator» as representative of temporary occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region.
Since the end of April 2024, Rogozin has actively recruited volunteers for his four BARS units (part of brigade «Tsar Wolves») and «battalion named after Sudoplatov».
On August 6, 2024, Dmitrii Rogozin thanked Batsev as a representative of commanders of «Tsar Wolves». On August 9, 2024, Russian propagandists titled Batsec as commander of «Sudoplatov people».
The destiny of previous commander of «Sudoplatov battalion» «Shaman» is unknown. His disappearance is surprising as one of leading Russian propagandists Vladimir Solovyov made a «documentary» about «Shaman» in the middle of May 2024…
Embezzlement and disruption of «battalion named after Sudoplatov»
Recent publication of Russian telegram channel «Nezygar», close to Kremlin, gives a hint about real situation in the battalion.
«The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated criminal investigation into wrongdoings of state unitary enterprise «Battalion named after Sudoplatov», related to the embezzlement of assets, allocated for the construction of defense fortifications in the region as well as for the financial support of «Volunteer battalion named after Sudoplatov», as says above mentioned publication.
Russian authorities try to find out why BARS-32 was disrupted as the military unit?
Russian telegram channel refers to its sources in the Russian Army Group «Dnepr» and states that by now «no more than 80 out of 560 soldiers serve in BARS-32. They refused to follow orders of their commanders and they were brought to the rear; the unit is being dissolved».
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation focused on financial fraud in state unitary enterprise «Battalion named after Sudoplatov» and BARS-32 in spring 2024.
On April 17, 2024, the enterprise suddenly changed its title. Now it is not «battalion» anymore. It is called state unitary enterprise «Center of technical development and services named after P.A.Sudoplatov».
In July 2024, the director of enterprise also changed. Crimean collaborator Vitalii Derevyanko was replaced by Dmytro Igorevych Dyomych. Before the Russian occupation of Crimea, he has been member of Yalta City Council and headed commission on land resources. Then, he founded «Road transport construction company». The company received over three billion Russian Rubles for the construction of Crimean roads and repairing works.
The Center of Journalist Investigation uncovered the activity of this company. It has been connected with Volodymyr Demishkan and Valentyn Zavoichynsky, former managers of «Ukravtodor». They betrayed Ukraine and made a fortune on construction tenders of Russian occupants.
Dmytro Dyomych (left), assistant of the «member of Yalta City Council», greets women with International Women’s Day. 2019. Photo: crimea-news
In 2015, Dyomych managed public procurement of Crimean sanatorium «Dulber», stolen by Russian occupants from Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. He has been an assistant of Ukrainian collaborator Leri Svanidze, director of sanatorium and former member of Ukrainian parliament. Later the sanatorium was bought by businesses controlled by Arkadii Rotenberg, friend of Vladimir Putin.
Traitor Zinchenko
Russian telegram channel believes that Oleksandr Zinchenko, Russian «Deputy Governor of Zaporizhzhia region», is behind financial fraud and embezzlement in the battalion.
«The Statute of the enterprise indicates «production of metal goods» as the main profile of its activity». But its real activity is different.
In 2023, the enterprise reported 1,9 billion Rubles of revenues, the balance of 435 million Rubles and net profit of 598 thousand Rubles. It is a clear sign of possible fraud.
Violations are directly related to actions of Deputy Governor on Defense Zinchenko, former member of the State Security Service of Ukraine», as says telegram channel.
The Center of Journalist Investigations highlighted the enterprise in the investigation «How Balytsky «saved» his compatriots, expropriated their assets and created commercial battalion named after Sudoplatov».
Oleksandr Zinchenko, «Vice Governor» on Defense of temporary occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia oblast. Photo: simadm.ru
Zinchenko Oleksandr Anatoliyovych (date of birth 20.05.1978) was born in Nyzhni Sirogozy raion of Kherson region.
Open sources say that Zinchenko has not served in the State Security Service of Ukraine. Since 2002, he has served as an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. In 2014, he betrayed Ukraine and joined Russian occupation troops.
Then, he resigned and worked in the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea. From 2018 till 2021 he has been an assistant of the Russian Mayor of Yalta and a head of secretariat of mayor’s office. Since February 2021, he has been Deputy Head of the occupation administration of Simferopol.
It is unclear whether scandal with «Sudoplatov battalion» is somehow connected with the case of arrested Russian General Ivan Popov, former commander of the Russian 58th Army. Both cases are related to fraudulent acquisition of metal goods and construction of fortifications.
As Russian telegram channel ВЧК-ОГПУ reported, Popov has been accused of embezzlement of 1,7 thousand tons of metal goods acquired by the military civil administration of Zaporizhzhia region for Russian troops in 2023. They should have been used for the construction of fortifications at the front line. Their estimated value is around 130 million Rubles».
As telegram channel stated, Russian law enforcement bodies targeted Oleg Tsokov but dropped it as he was awarded «Hero of Russia» post mortem. Then, Russian investigators focused on Popov. They claim that Tsokov transferred 500 thousand Rubles to Popov. This amount is thought to be part of Popov in the embezzlement scheme.
The telegram channel did not mention possible participants of embezzlement in Russian occupation administration of Zaporizhzhia region, headed by Balytsky…
