Schemes: Investigating Ukraine

• March 03, 2026

  A General's Correspondence Details The Wartime Role Of Graft In The Russian Military

  A trove of messages, photos, and videos sent and received by a Russian officer and examined by Schemes and Systema, RFE/RL's Ukrainian and Russian investigative units, provides granular evidence pointing to the pervasive role of bribery in the military amid Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

• December 07, 2025

  Lavrov's Kyiv Footprint: How A Russian Foundation Financed Pro-Kremlin Activities in Ukraine

  Funds were allocated in an effort to collect information supporting the Kremlin's war-crimes claims and undermine Kyiv’s defense against the invasion.

• November 30, 2025

  Unmasking 'Dr. Evil': Ukrainian Soldiers Haunted By The Horrors Of A Russian Prison

  In an award-winning investigation conducted jointly with OCCRP, Schemes determined the identity of a doctor whose conduct stood out in the memories of inmates who said they suffered near-constant violence and abuse at IK-10, a prison in Russia’s Mordovia region.

• November 15, 2025

  Ukrainian Businessman Embroiled In Massive Corruption Scandal Fled To Poland In Luxury Taxi

  Tymur Mindich, a prominent businessman and the alleged ringleader in a massive corruption scandal in Ukraine’s energy sector, used a luxury taxi service to leave the country, an RFE/RL investigation has found.

• September 13, 2025

  Sanctions Fail As Russia Deploys Banned Chemical Weapons, Schemes Investigation Reveals

  Despite international sanctions and global bans against the use of chemical weapons, Russia’s forces deploy RG-Vo grenades in Ukraine -- causing severe burns, choking, and disorientation among soldiers.

• September 10, 2025

  Satellite Images Appear To Show Secretive Construction Of 'Strategic' Base In Belarus

  Construction is under way on a site in Belarus that experts say looks like a military facility that could potentially house Russian strategic missiles, satellite images examined by RFE/RL and its partners in an investigative project show.

• September 06, 2025

  A Toxic Trail Exposed: How Russia Makes Chemical Weapons And Uses Them Against Ukraine

  The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the battlefield use of riot control grenades containing toxic gas. An investigation by RFE/RL’s Schemes shows how Russia is churning out the grenades – and other toxic weapons -- and firing them at Ukrainian troops despite the ban and Western sanctions.

• July 31, 2025

  Ukrainian Customs Chief's Lavish Lifestyle Sparks Corruption Concerns

  An RFE/RL investigation has revealed that the family of a senior Ukrainian customs chief has a portfolio of luxury real estate and cars while also enjoying a luxury lifestyle amid concerns over corruption that have sparked Ukraine’s biggest protests since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

• June 11, 2025

  Hundreds Of Russian Soldiers Treated In Belarusian Hospitals, Investigation Finds

  Hundreds of Russian soldiers wounded in the Ukraine war have been treated in Belarusian hospitals, including some from military units linked to alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

• May 21, 2025

  Ukrainian Former Yanukovych Adviser Andriy Portnov Reportedly Shot Dead In Spain

  Andriy Portnov, an adviser to former pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, was shot dead on May 21 just outside of Madrid after dropping off his children at school.

• May 07, 2025

  Czech Initiative Criticized For Costs, Quality, And Delays -- But Keeps Ammo Flowing To Ukraine

  A Czech-led initiative to supply Ukraine with ammo has delivered vital shells but faces criticism over costs, favoritism, and transparency. A Schemes report investigates what's working -- and what’s not.

• February 19, 2025

  Russia Turns To Cuban Recruits As It Struggles With Conscription, RFE/RL Reveals

  An RFE/RL investigation reveals details about the role of Cuban mercenaries fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine, with some avidly embracing the Kremlin's narratives. Havana has said it’s cracking down on “human trafficking” to the war, but given its ties to Moscow, not everybody is convinced.

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