Ukrainian hackers expose money laundering and sanction evasion by senior Russian politician

Ukrainian hackers, identifying themselves as Cyber Resistance, claim to have successfully infiltrated the email account of Alexander Babakov, a prominent Russian politician with deep ties to the Kremlin.

 

The hacking group purports to have unearthed a trove of documents allegedly establishing Babakov’s involvement in intricate money laundering and sanction evasion schemes.

 

Cyber Resistance made public a massive 11 GB cache of emails that they assert belong to Babakov, the deputy chairman of Russia’s parliament. The leaked material includes copies of Babakov’s passport, financial records, tax documents, and medical records.

 

Babakov, known for his close affiliations with the Kremlin, has a notable political career. Vladimir Putin appointed him as a special presidential representative in 2012 and previously led Rodina, a nationalist political party in Russia, back in 2006. Notably, he has faced sanctions from the EU, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States for various reasons since 2014.

 

The leaked emails were first shared with the international volunteer organization InformNapalm, comprised of researchers and journalists from ten countries. The group focuses on analyzing data leaks and conducting investigations to expose the alleged role of the Russian government in conflicts across multiple regions.

 

InformNapalm’s investigation into the leaked documents revealed disturbing details about Babakov’s activities. One particularly damning finding points to Babakov’s purported use of his government contacts to facilitate money laundering. One incident involves an alleged bribe taken in exchange for approving unauthorized construction projects on protected natural reserves and national parks.

 

As per the leaked documents, Babakov reportedly widened his cooperation network with African and Asian countries to bypass Western sanctions. Recent visits to India and Iran were allegedly centered around discussions on economic collaboration and strategies to circumvent these sanctions. Moreover, Babakov is believed to be actively collaborating with a radical pro-Russian party in Georgia, which promotes anti-American and anti-European ideologies.

 

The "BabakovLeaks" expose is just one in a series of investigations by InformNapalm, utilizing documents leaked by hacktivist groups supportive of Ukraine’s cause, such as Cyber Resistance. These revelations have become a recurring phenomenon, with Russian state institutions, including the Central Bank of Russia, and private entities facing regular data leaks.

 

Ukrainian cybersecurity authorities have lauded the intelligence garnered from these hacking activities. Illia Vitiuk, the head of cybersecurity at the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), has emphasized that the insights derived from these breaches have provided Ukraine with invaluable information regarding Russia’s strategic plans and have contributed to foiling potential actions, including troop movements and evasion of Western sanctions.