It’s long been known that — despite Western sanctions — the Russian military is supplying itself with foreign technology through third countries.

But how do these supply chains actually work? We investigated.

www.occrp.org/en/investigations/kazakhstan-has-become-a-pathway-for-the-supply-of-russias-war-machine...

First we looked at drones. Consumer models have become ubiquitous in the war, used by both sides for recon, artillery spotting, and propaganda videos.

They can also kill. Here, a Russian soldier attaches a grenade to a consumer drone.

In this investigation with @istories_media, @Vlastkz, and @derspiegel, we traced the trade of such drones from the Netherlands, to Kazakhstan, to a Russian importer, and finally to non-profits that are supplying Russian troops.

This is just one “path,” uncovered to explain how these schemes work. Kazakh statistics show that trade in drones has boomed.

Interestingly, in this case the Kazakh re-exporter and the Russian importer are owned by the same man! And the Kazakh company was founded after the war.

Here’s another supply chain, showing a Kazakh company importing microchips from Germany.

Reporters found that the German seller is owned by a Russian couple — and the Kazakh buyer by a man who appears to be their son.

These chips, too, make their way to the Russian military.

Read the story here. And please support independent investigative journalism!

International collaborations — in this case w/ Russian, German, & Kazakhstani reporters — are the best way to report on wrongdoing that crosses borders. But it takes ⏰ and 💰.

www.occrp.org/en/investigations/kazakhstan-has-become-a-pathway-for-the-supply-of-russias-war-machine...