Valentyna Samar

The first Russian drone brigade «GROM «Kaskad» has been created in October 2023 and subordinated to the Russian Aerospace Forces. It has been initiated by Dmitrii Sablin, member of the Russian State Duma. He joined Russian Army on the first day of Russian invasion into Ukraine. He is reported as the commander of the brigade….

Article below is the first part of investigation about Russian para-military organizations, companies and people fighting Ukraine within Russian Armed Forces. Our investigation focuses on the first Russian drone brigade called «GROM Kaskad». Dmitrii Sablin, member of Russian State Dume and First Deputy Head of Russian organization of war veterans «Combat brotherhood», is the initiator…

Russian project «Archangel» manufactures FPV-drones and trains Russian soldiers, «volunteers» from BARS squads and civilians willing to sign contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense. As Russian mass media reported, the network of «Archangel» includes training centers in 20 Russian cities and on occupied territories of Ukraine. Over one thousand drone operators have been trained…

The 81st Russian special purpose brigade “Bears”, fighting Ukraine in Oleshki near Kherson, has been assembled and trained on training ground near Perevalne village in occupied Crimea. Separate “expeditionary corps” of “Bears” is being recruited for the “work” of Russian mercenaries abroad, in Africa.  “Bears” are closely connected with quasi-private military company “Redut”, controlled by…

«Tsar Wolves» is would-be military company, created and promoted in mass media by Dmitrii Rogozin, ex-member of the Russian State Duma, ex-Vice-Prime Minister of the Russian government, ex-Head of «Roscosmos» and current member of the Russian Senate «elected» in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region. «Tsar Wolves» is the umbrella name for «military technological center»,…

Name «Tsar Wolves» covers military technological center testing new weapons of Russian private designers, «Voluntary Russian assault brigade», BARS squads in Zaporizhzhia region and training centers for drone operators. This project has been actively promoted in Russian mass media by Dmitrii Rogozin, former member of Russian State Duma, Vice-Prime Minister and head of the State…

It is easy to avoid Western sanctions if you use countries as intermediaries. The team of the Center for Journalist Investigations uncovered a network of companies in the third countries behind Simferopol manufacturer of drones founded by Ukrainian citizens-collaborators. It is about Crimean limited liability company «Roboavia». It develops and manufactures «flying wing» drones and…

Any Ukrainian state traitor has been the corrupted public official. Any Russian «governor» on Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia – Saldo, Buluk or Balytsky, Konstantinov or Aksyonov – has rich corruption biography where business is covered by politics. Any Ukrainian «under the carpet» fighting over shadow revenues involves «Ukrainian patriots» who are used to accuse…

Before the 2022 Russian invasion, titanium factory in Crimean Armiansk owned by Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash has been the largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide in Eastern Europe. Despite international sanctions and Russian occupation of Crimean peninsula, it has been sold to Russian company at the end of 2021. The Center for Journalist Investigations found out…

I should calm down joyful feelings of those Ukrainians who perceive the escape of occupation administration of Kherson oblast and «evacuation» of people from the right bank of Dnipro as the «good will» of Russians. Like their retreat from Kyiv oblast. To the contrary, Russians strengthen their military forces on the right bank, as Valentyna…