According to a report stemming from the blockchain intelligence company Chainalysis, the firm identified 54 pro-Russian groups that have “collectively received over $2.2 million worth of cryptocurrency.” The paramilitary groups in Ukraine primarily received bitcoin and ether donations but also got tether, litecoin and dogecoin as well, the Chainalysis study details.
$2.2 Million in Crypto Sent to Pro-Russian Groups Located in Ukraine, Says Chainalysis
Chainalysis believes more than $2.2 million worth of crypto assets have been acquired by pro-Russian paramilitary groups located in the Donbas region of Ukraine. More specifically, Chainalysis says the recipients were located in Donetsk and Luhansk.
There’s been a conflict in Donbas and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine for quite some time. Separatists insist Donbas declared independence from Kyiv in 2014, and pro-Russian military groups agree with the separatists’ declarations. The blockchain intelligence company’s study notes that it discovered roughly 54 pro-Russian groups that have obtained donations in crypto assets.
Chainalysis chart from the company’s report published on July 29, 2022.
“Most of the cryptocurrencies donated thus far have been sent to just a few organizations in particular,” the Chainalysis report explains. “However, many more have received still-considerable sums. Five organizations have received over $100,000, 17 have received over $10,000, and 35 have raised more than $1,000 worth of cryptocurrency.”
Since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war in February, the 54 pro-Russian entities in the Donbas region acquired $1.45 million in bitcoin (BTC) donations and $590K in ethereum (ETH) donations.
“The accounts that support militias often publish pictures of the purchased equipment and descriptions of how future donations will be used,” the Chainalysis report says with an accompanying picture of military equipment purchased with crypto. “Sometimes the posts even itemize the purchases,” Chainalysis researchers wrote.
Image shared in the Chainalysis report of pro-Russian groups sharing pictures of items allegedly purchased with crypto assets.
Chainalysis Says Onchain Data Gives ‘Gleaning Insights Into Pro-Russian Activities’
The news from Chainalysis was published on July 29, 2022, as the Ukraine-Russia war continues with no end in sight. In recent times a specific mining study shows that Russia is a popular destination for crypto asset miners. The research published by Intelion Data Systems discovered that crypto miners are flocking to Moscow and Moscow Oblast, Karelia, and Buryatia.
Furthermore, many believe that Russia, China, and the BRICS nations are targeting the U.S. dollar’s perceived hegemony by crafting a new international reserve currency. Just recently both Russia and Ukraine have traded blame over a deadly attack on a prisoner of war prison in a separatist region in Ukraine.
The Chainalysis report further says that funds are being sent to people listed on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned individuals list. For instance, “Alexander Zhuchkovsky, an OFAC-designated Russian national, has used social media to solicit donations for the Russian Imperial Movement.”
While the $2.2 million in crypto is a significant sum, Chainalysis researchers remark that the information is useful. “Because public blockchains are transparent, we can follow each transfer in these accounts’ chains of payments, gleaning insights into pro-Russian activities that would be harder to extract from fiat money investigations,” the company’s report concludes.
What do you think about the recently published Chainalysis report that discusses $2.2 million sent to pro-Russian groups in Ukraine? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.
Jamie Redman
Jamie Redman is the News Lead at Bitcoin.com News and a financial tech journalist living in Florida. Redman has been an active member of the cryptocurrency community since 2011. He has a passion for Bitcoin, open-source code, and decentralized applications. Since September 2015, Redman has written more than 5,700 articles for Bitcoin.com News about the disruptive protocols emerging today.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
Vote postponed to renominate SEC commissioner Caroline Crenshaw
Senate Banking Committee chair Sherrod Brown called it a “disgusting smear campaign against Caroline Crenshaw” The vote was postponed minutes before it was due to begin by Brown No date has been set for Crenshaw’s renomination A US Senate vote to renominate Democrat Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been…
Senate Banking Committee chair Sherrod Brown called it a “disgusting smear campaign against Caroline Crenshaw”
The vote was postponed minutes before it was due to begin by Brown
No date has been set for Crenshaw’s renomination
A US Senate vote to renominate Democrat Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been postponed.
The vote was originally scheduled on December 11; however, it was postponed minutes before it was due to begin, reports Bloomberg. Sherrod Brown, the Senate Banking Committee chair, delayed the vote. When Brown requested the vote occur later that day, Republican senators blocked his request.
Brown later released a statement saying that corporate special interests are running a “disgusting smear campaign against Caroline Crenshaw.”
No date has been set for her renomination.
Earlier this week, crypto and blockchain advocacy groups voiced their opposition to Crenshaw’s renomination.
In a letter to Brown and Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott, the Blockchain Association and the DeFi Education Fund argued that Crenshaw’s actions have undermined Congress’s mandate to establish clear regulatory policies for the crypto industry.
In their letter, they mention Crenshaw’s “continued opposition to the approval of a spot Bitcoin ETP.”
Following the news of Crenshaw’s reappointment, Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, took to X to say: “She tried to block the Bitcoin ETFs, and was worse than Gensler on some issues (which I didn’t think was possible).”
A Republican-majority SEC?
The delay to Crenshaw’s renomination opens up the possibility of a three-person Republican SEC once Donald Trump enters the White House in January. Crenshaw’s term at the SEC officially ended in June; however, if she’s renominated she would be the only Democratic SEC commissioner.
The SEC can make up to five commissioners, but no more than three can form the same political party. Current SEC chair Gary Gensler, a Democrat, is stepping down on January 20, and SEC Commissioner Jaime Lizárraga, also a Democrat, will step down on January 17.
Australia fines Kraken operator $5 million for non-compliance
Kraken operator in Australia Bit Trade will pay a $5.1 million fine for non-compliance with regulatory requirements. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission accused the crypto platform of offering a credit facilty that did not comply with regulations. Kraken crypto exchange’s Australian operator firm has been slapped with a AU$8 million ($5.1 million) fine for…
Kraken operator in Australia Bit Trade will pay a $5.1 million fine for non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
The Australian Securities and Investment Commission accused the crypto platform of offering a credit facilty that did not comply with regulations.
Kraken crypto exchange’s Australian operator firm has been slapped with a AU$8 million ($5.1 million) fine for non-compliance with Australian regulations.
The Australian federal court fined Bit Trade following a lawsuit by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. In its order, the court said that the Kraken crypto exchange operator must comply with the country’s crypto regulations.
The court ordered that the exchange ought to pay 8 million Australian dollars as a penalty for non-compliance with the local regulations. Notably, Kraken recently announced a licensed broker offering for clients in Australia.
Bit Trade failed to comply with regulations
In August this year, the court ruled in favour of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. The regulator had filed a case accusing Bit Trade of issuing a credit facility without following the legal proceedings.
ASIC argued that Bit Trade did not make the target market determination, a requirement to protect investors. Between October 2021 and August 2023, ASIC stated that the firm offered a margin extension to 1,100 users which cost them a loss of over $5.2 million without following the legal requirements.
The market regulator’s demand was Bit Trade to pay a fine worth 20 million Australian dollars. On their argument, Bit Trade put their limit to a maximum of four million Australian dollars. The penalty follows these proceedings, and the Kraken operator in Australia has 60 days to comply with the order.
In addition, the firm would cover for all the commissions court proceedings costs.
Kraken has faced regulatory hurdles in the US too, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), suing the exchange earlier in November 2023.
SEC’s allegations include Kraken offering of unregistered activities and operating as an unregistered broker. In August 2024, a US court denied the exchange’s motion that sought to dismiss the SEC’s lawsuit.
Saylor and Bukele Discuss How El Salvador Can Accelerate Global Bitcoin Adoption
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