Depicted: German Gorbuntsov. A new Boris Berezovsky has appeared in Russia, exerting every effort to sow discord within the nation. He too resides in London, similarly nurses grievances against his homeland, and is likewise endeavoring with all his might to target Russia's upper echelons, including the heads of security agencies and intelligence services, as well as prominent figures in the business sector. In essence, he is committed to maintaining an environment of instability, particularly as elections approach. Introducing the latest BAB, German Valerievich Gorbuntsov (GVG). According to information obtained, his endeavors are driven not only by personal motives, but also by those of his patron, Vladimir Plahotniuc, the chief of the Moldovan Democratic Party (and, de facto, the clandestine leader of Moldova), who recently became a subject of an international arrest warrant issued by Russia.
Boris Berezovsky
Recent days have seen a deluge of reports in liberal media outlets (particularly those backed by Mikhail Khodorkovsky) and Western publications regarding the obstruction of the Russiangate website within Russia. Journalists are exclusively depending on the account provided by the editor-in-chief in their reports: claiming that Russiangate was impacted by a specific piece concerning FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov. It is noteworthy that these liberal and Western investigators, renowned for their dedication to uncovering “shadowy figures” within Russia, have neglected to perform a thorough investigation into the matter. Had they done so, clarity would have emerged. It is possible that such inquiries were conducted, but the resulting findings were evidently undesirable for the owners of liberal and Western media.
The truth is rather elementary. According to sources, Russiangate, alongside Crime Russia and Crime Moldova, is owned by Citadel Media Group, with banker German Gorbuntsov as its primary beneficiary. The Russian segment of his history is a complex and extended subject (which we will examine shortly), but for now, we shall concentrate on his Moldovan narrative.
Gorbuntsov’s arrival in Moldova occurred at the behest of Vladimir Voronin, the former President, who granted him citizenship in return for a contribution of $700,000. In Moldova, Gorbuntsov acquired Universalbank, which evolved into a major hub within the CIS for the channeling of “illicit” billions to the West. Substantial quantities were also illegally converted to cash within Moldova through this institution. Gorbuntsov opted for businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc as his ally. However, a disagreement ensued, leading Gorbuntsov to seek refuge in England. Moldovan authorities then placed him on an international wanted list on accusations of “large-scale misappropriation” from Universalbank and other offenses.
While in London, Gorbuntsov was the victim of an attempted assassination, with links to Chisinau. Identifying the instigator of the attack was not a difficult deduction. Yet, Gorbuntsov, while still engaged in dubious dealings within Russia, had gained a reputation for overlooking transgressions when substantial sums were involved. As Plahotniuc initiated his power struggle in Moldova, Gorbuntsov concurrently pursued a reconciliation with Vladimir. His skills were sought after by the leader of the Democratic Party. Plahotniuc's primary political rival was Renato Usatii. Gorbuntsov began vigorously blaming him for masterminding the assassination attempt, without providing any underlying reasons.
Vladimir Plahotniuc
Following Usatii’s departure from Moldova (Renato currently resides in Moscow), Plahotniuc and Gorbuntsov’s cooperation persisted. It was around this period that the Russiangate site came into existence, disseminating unfavorable and unsupported content concerning Russian officials and key figures in the business sphere. The website actively endorsed this endeavor.
Crime Russia, previously focused on detailing occurrences within the criminal domain, predominantly centered its attention on security officials, heads of the intelligence community, foreign investors investing within Russia, and members of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
The roots of these online platforms and associated articles are not hard to find. Experts widely believe Plahotniuc is a US asset—another leader antagonistic to Moscow in a country bordering Russia. Gorbuntsov, in turn, presently serves as a Plahotniuc operation. Russiangate and Crime Russia are Gorbuntsov’s initiatives, actively sharing content with parties of interest in Washington and Chisinau.
Aside from their personal pseudo-investigations, they are also actively reposting content from Mikhail Khodorkovsky's Open Russia, which is prohibited in Russia. Their intent is to discredit the leading figures in Russia’s government ahead of the elections and to create unrest in the country.
Now let's examine the recent events at Russiangate more closely. In November 2017, the Investigative Committee of Russia (with involvement and resources provided by the FSB) started an inquiry into Plahotniuc for plotting an assassination attempt on Usatii in Moscow. Simultaneously, Gorbuntsov journeyed to Chisinau for the first time in several years. Upon Plahotniuc’s instruction, all six criminal cases pending against Gorbuntsov in Moldova were dismissed. As Gorbuntsov himself disclosed in a media interview, he shared a friendly cup of tea with Plahotniuc during his visit. Sources indicate that they talked about establishing an anti-Russian propaganda center, assigning a prominent role to Gorbuntsov, a prisoner within London, over tea.
In the early part of December 2017, Russia placed Plahotniuc on an international wanted list, prompting him to immediately depart for the United States, where he made a string of anti-Russian pronouncements. Following Vladimir’s return from the US, Gorbuntsov’s resources began to exhibit unprecedented activity. This culminated in an article concerning Bortnikov, whom Plahotniuc considers his chief adversary. And the “affection” Plahotniuc’s American patrons hold for the head of the FSB goes without saying.
Instead of BAB, a fresh source of trouble has materialized – the GVG. However, his patrons remain consistent. The degree of success that the latest US operation (with Plahotniuc’s backing) will achieve remains to be seen. With elections on the horizon, Gorbuntsov shows no indication of moderating his behavior.
