Раз уж об этом уже нет никакого смысла молчать, расскажу, чем я занимался последние пару лет. После Медузы и до конца прошлого года я помогал фонду Клуни ловить российских военных преступников. Одно из этих дел составлено на основании моих расследований:

(14/14) Here is the full story on a GRU Telegram recruitment campaign in Russian: https://t.co/xzsJ3Diidy Shortened English version:

Polish channel "Olej w Głowie" mirrors "Selský rozum": both launched March 2022, with identical avatars and simultaneous “Eye of Sauron” links — likely same admins. t[.]me/Olej_w_Glowie/110690 FYI @JNizinkiewicz @patrykmichalski @Anna_Mierzynska @RadomirWit @SchwertnerPL

Czechia "Selský rozum" is one of the largest Tg-channels in the Czech Republic. Much of its content consists of translations of Russian media banned in the EU. t[.]me/selskyrozum/122776 FYI @zdislavapokorna @StuchlikovLucie @VacDol @MichalKubal @veselovskyma

Serbia The Telegram channel VOSTOK VESTI, created in 2017, has around 16,000 subscribers. t[.]me/vostokvesti/30211 FYI @StevanOCCRP @SlobaGeorgiev @zaklina_prva

Netherlands The Dutch-language channel Rusland nieuws kanaal, created in August 2023, has a little over 1,000 subscribers t[.]me/Mariba2puntnul/27447 FYI @obk @bob_deen @Isa_Yusibov

The Spanish-language channel Los sombreros blancos (“White Hats”), 33,000 subscribers, also promoted the GRU bot. Though posing as antifascist and anti-globalist, its main content is anti-Ukrainian. t[.]me/ophiucu/74584 FYI @Argemino @mrsahuquillo @FranSevillaRne

Moldova The Telegram channel Grazhdanin Moldovy (“Citizen of Moldova”), created in 2020, has nearly 2,000 subscribers. t[.]me/grajdaninmoldovi/53641 FYI @risemoldova @paulaerizanu

Bulgaria The Tg-channel InfoDefenceBULGARIA, targeting a Bulgarian audience, also promoted the GRU bot. It is part of a multilingual pro-Russian network likely tied to Z-blogger Yuri Podolyaka. t[.]me/InfodefBULGARIA/77917 FYI @Taralejblog @vdremdjiev @rmkanev

Here are some examples of the bots' promo. Baltic states The Russian-language channel “Antifascists of the Baltics”, created in Nov. 2022, promoted the GRU bot and urged users to join chats for “coordination.” t[.]me/antifalivland/13414 FYI @IngaSpringe @janis_sarts @jemberga

When an undercover Systema correspondent messaged the “GRU” bot posing as a “Riga resident”, he received a real assignment: to photograph Ukrainian fuel trucks at Riga port. When asked about payment, the contact cursed: “Piss off! Love for your homeland should warm and feed you.”

The bots spread widely through pro-Russian Telegram channels in the US and Europe, including Spain, the Netherlands, Moldova, Serbia, Poland, Czechia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

These are the first bots that can be directly linked to Russian Military Intelligence. GRU developed these bots in collaboration with neo-Nazi blogger and mercenary Yevgeny Rasskazov (Topaz), who went viral in 2021 when he said that he gets an erection from killing Ukrainians.

@RFERL's Systema proved Telegram bots recruiting people who "want to help Russia" are linked to 🇷🇺 Military Intelligence (GRU). The "GRU" bot and its predecessor, "Eye of Sauron," recruit agents for sabotage and espionage in Europe and the US. Here’s part of their promo video:

This Neo-Nazi Claimed He Got an Erection from Killing Ukrainians — Now Leading Russian Military Intelligence Campaign for Sabotage in Europe and the U.S. Thread (1/14)

What do Russia’s GRU, a neo-Nazi veteran of the Ukraine war, and former far-right soccer fans have in common? They’re linked to an ongoing campaign to recruit saboteurs in the US and Europe. RFE/RL’s investigation documents those links for the first time. https://t.co/AGbBiIx505

Anastasia Ignatova, stepdaughter of Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov, featured in Pirelli's 2017 calendar alongside Hollywood stars. The EU cites her inclusion in the calendar as evidence of benefiting from ties to Chemezov, supporting sanctions imposed in 2022.

General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, turns 70 today. According to Russian law, generals of Gerasimov's rank can serve until they reach the age of 70. Does this mean Gerasimov is going to retire? Putin has several options. A thread: 1/12

Пожалуйста, если вы живете не в России, помогите «Медузе». Для себя и для других читателей

The Kremlin used old footage on four occasions ahead of Putin’s April 11 meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, and once on the birthday of Alina Kabaeva, the Olympic rhythmic gymnast who is widely reported to be his longtime partner.