The Insider (website)

The Insider is a Moscow-based independent online newspaper specializing in investigative journalism, fact-checking and political analytics.[1][2][3] Founded in November 2013 by Roman Dobrokhotov,[4] a member of the Solidarity liberal-democratic movement, journalist and political activist, who is the editor-in-chief of the newspaper.[5] The newspaper is known for exposing fake news in Russian media.[6][7]

The Insider
Investigations, Reports, Analytics
TypeOnline newspaper
Founder(s)Roman Dobrokhotov
Editor-in-chiefRoman Dobrokhotov
FoundedNovember 2013 (November 2013)
LanguageEnglish, Russian
HeadquartersMoscow, Russia
Websitetheins.ru/en

Investigations

Matilda 2017 film

In February 2017, The Insider reported that the financing of the Russian film Matilda was obtained through the Cypriot offshore company Tradescan Consultant. The receipt of the funds was formalized as a loan, but without an obligation to return. The journalists handed over the materials of their investigation on the financing scheme to the Russian State Duma deputy Natalia Poklonskaya, which she subsequently sent to the Investigative Committee with a request to initiate a criminal case on corruption.[8][9][10]

Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal

In September 2018, in collaboration with the Bellingcat network and BBC Newsnight,[11] The Insider conducted an investigation, publishing copies of official documents of the Federal Migration Service of Russia claiming to issue a passport in the name of Alexander Petrov, one of accused of poisoning Sergei and Yulia Skripal in England, indicating his connection with the Russian intelligence agencies.[12][13][14] The documents were provided by a source from the Russian police.[13] Roman Dobrokhotov himself admitted that he did not know how the personal data of "Boshirov" and "Petrov" were obtained, stating that he himself "did not violate any laws", and that The Insider received information from Bellingcat.[15] The Insider also discovered that the third participant in the poisoning of Skripal was associated with the poisoning of Bulgarian businessman Emilian Gebrev in 2015.[16][17]

The assassination of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili

The Insider, together with Bellingcat and Der Spiegel, conducted an investigation and on August 30, 2019 stated that the murder of the former military commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin on August 23, 2019 was committed by a man working for the Russian intelligence agencies.[18][19] The investigating group published materials in which they uncovered the real identity of the killer.[20][21] They stated that the FSB Special Purpose Centre (FSB special unit Vympel) was preparing the repeat killer Vadim Krasikov for this murder, and also provided some details of Krasikov's movements in Europe.[22][23]

Poisoning of Alexei Navalny

In 2017 Russia announced it had gotten rid of all available chemical weapons. In October 2020, following the poisoning of Alexei Navalny with chemical weapon Novichok, a joint investigation by The Insider, Bellingcat, Der Spiegel and Radio Liberty concluded that:[24][25]

Not only did Russia did not destroy its chemical weapons, but it continues to develop it and produce for the needs of the special services — this is what we have found during our research that took more than a year to complete

They found out what scientists and government structures were involved in the development of the Novichok, their connection between each other and the alleged form in which the chemical weapon was used.[26][27][28][29]

In December 2020, The Insider and Bellingcat in co-operation with CNN, Der Spiegel and Anti-Corruption Foundation published a joint investigation, in which they revealed details of what relationship the Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has to the poisoning of Navalny.[30][31][32][33] According to the investigation, eight FSB officers with a chemical or/and medical background, who operated under the cover of the Institute of Forensic Science of the FSB (chief — Major General Vladimir Mikhailovich Bogdanov), tracked Navalny for 3 years and worked on an operation to poison him.[34][35] The authors of the investigation named all the employees involved in the operation, as well as several of their pseudonyms. The investigation team used geolocation data, flight passenger records and telephone data to track and identify these agents.[36][37]

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17

In April 2020, The Insider, Bellingcat[38] and BBC during the independent investigation identified one of the main persons involved in the Malaysian Boeing crash.[39][40] The Insider said that they used voice-comparison technology, travel information and phone records to establish a person's identity.[41] The outlet journalists contacted professor Catalin Grigoras of the National Center for Media Forensics at the University of Colorado Denver and asked him to conduct an analysis of audio recordings, as a result of which the likelihood ratio (LR) was 94.[42][43]

In November 2020, The Insider and Bellingcat conducted a joint investigation into how the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) coordinated the activities of the Bonanza Media media project, which spread fakes about the crash of a Malaysian Boeing in eastern Ukraine.[44][45][46][47] The investigation team said that the head of the project was GRU Colonel Sergey Chebanov.[48]

Awards

On November 10, 2017, The Insider received the World Forum for Democracy Council of Europe Award for Innovation in Democracy with the following wording: “The Insider is an investigative newspaper that seeks to provide its readers with information about the current political, economic and social situation in Russia, while also promoting democratic values and shedding light on issues related to human rights and civil society. In addition, The Insider implements the “Antifake” project, with the objective of systematically debunking fake news in Russian media, and to help its audience to distinguish relevant information from fake news and propaganda."[6][7][49]

In May 2019, The Insider and Bellingcat received the European Press Prize for establishing the identity of the two men responsible for the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.[50][51]

In August 2019, The Insider received Free Media Awards for "Supporting Independent Journalism in Eastern Europe".[52] This award is presented by two organisations — Zeit from Hamburg and the Fritt Ord foundation (Norway).[53][11]

References

  1. "Роман Доброхотов" [Roman Dobrokhotov]. Party 5 December. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  2. "Roman Dobrokhotov". Journalismfund. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  3. "Alles Unter Kontrolle? Internetzensur Und Überwachung In Russland" [Everything under control? Internet censorship and surveillance in Russia] (PDF). Reporters Without Borders (in German). 2019.
  4. Sauer, Pjotr (October 23, 2018). "The Unsung Reporters Who Challenged the Kremlin's Skripal Story". The Moscow Times. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  5. Timoshenko, Diana; Volkova, Ksenia (December 4, 2013). "Журналисты в поисках читателей" [Journalists in search of readers]. Chastny Korrespondent. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  6. "Российский Insider получил премию Форума Совета Европы за демократию" [Russian Insider wins Council of Europe Forum Democracy Award]. Ukrinform (in Russian). November 10, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  7. "Council of Europe Democracy Innovation Award goes to Russian investigative newspaper The Insider". Council of Europe. Strasbourg, France. November 10, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  8. Sidorchik, Andrey (September 6, 2017). ""Матильда" и пустота. Чем закончится "крестовый поход" Натальи Поклонской" ["Matilda" and emptiness. How Natalia Poklonskaya's "crusade" will end]. Argumenty i Fakty. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  9. Safonov, Mikhail (September 7, 2017). "Офшорная драма Поклонской. Была ли коррупция при съемках "Матильды"?" [Poklonskaya's offshore drama. Was there any corruption during the filming of Matilda?]. Business FM (in Russian). Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  10. "$10 млн, Путин и "общак Кремля": The Insider рассказал о финансировании фильма "Матильда"" [$ 10 million, Putin and the "common fund of the Kremlin": The Insider spoke about the financing of the film "Matilda"]. znak.com. February 9, 2017. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  11. "The Insider - Russia". Fritt Ord (organization). Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  12. Harding, Luke (June 23, 2020). "'A chain of stupidity': the Skripal case and the decline of Russia's spy agencies". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  13. "Bellingcat показал заявку на паспорт Петрова из Солсбери. На ней есть пометка от спецслужб" [Bellingcat showed an application for a passport from Petrov of Salisbury. It has a note from the intelligence agencies]. BBC Russian Service (in Russian). September 14, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  14. "СМИ опубликовали доказательства причастности Петрова и Боширова к спецслужбам" [The media published evidence of the involvement of Petrov and Boshirov in the intelligence agencies]. Business FM (in Russian). September 14, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  15. Korelina, Olga (September 28, 2018). "Полковник ГРУ, Герой России, воевал в Чечне. Кажется, журналисты узнали, кто такой "Руслан Боширов"" [Colonel of the GRU, Hero of Russia, fought in Chechnya. It seems that the journalists found out who Ruslan Boshirov is]. Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  16. Greenberg, Andy (February 21, 2019). "The Russian Sleuth Who Outs Moscow's Elite Hackers and Assassins". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  17. "Третий участник отравления в Солсбери пытался убить болгарского оружейника ядом типа "Новичок"" [A third participant in the Salisbury poisoning attempted to kill a Bulgarian gunsmith with Novichok poison]. The Insider (in Russian). February 7, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  18. "Сокол Путина. Убийца чеченца в Германии связан с российскими спецслужбами" [Falcon of Putin. The murderer of a Chechen in Germany is associated with the Russian intelligence agencies]. The Insider (in Russian). August 30, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  19. Prothero, Mitch (September 5, 2019). "An apparent assassination in Germany has all the hallmarks of the Kremlin — and Russia doesn't seem to care". Business Insider. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  20. "Киллер на велосипеде. Убийцей чеченца в Берлине оказался рецидивист Вадим Красиков, и его покрывает государство" [Killer on a bicycle. The murderer of a Chechen in Berlin turned out to be a repeat offender Vadim Krasikov, and he is covered by the state]. The Insider (in Russian). December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  21. "Investigation Names Alleged Killer of Chechen Rebel In Berlin". The Moscow Times. December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  22. ""В" значит "Вымпел". Как ЦСН ФСБ организовал убийство Хангошвили в Берлине" ["V" means "Vympel". How the SPC FSB organized the murder of Khangoshvili in Berlin]. The Insider (in Russian). February 15, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  23. "Киллер на велосипеде - II. Берлинский убийца Красиков служил в спецназе ФСБ "Вымпел"" [Killer on a Bicycle - II. The Berlin killer Krasikov served in the FSB special forces "Vympel"]. The Insider (in Russian). December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  24. "Bellingcat: Russia continued Novichok program despite claiming to end it". Deutsche Welle. October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  25. "Назови мое имя. Кто и как производит в России "Новичок" для спецслужб" [Say my name. Who and how produces "Novichok" for special services in Russia]. The Insider (in Russian). Bellingcat, Der Spiegel, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  26. Batyrov, Timur (October 23, 2020). "Журналисты-расследователи сообщили о возможном применении нанокапсул с ядом для отравления Навального" [Investigative journalists reported on the possible use of nanocapsules with poison to poison Navalny]. Forbes (in Russian). Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  27. Begiashvili, Anya (October 23, 2020). "The Insider и Bellingcat: хотя Россия отчиталась об уничтожении химоружия, в ряде институтов ещё производят "Новичок"" [The Insider and Bellingcat: although Russia has reported on the destruction of chemical weapons, a number of institutes are still producing Novichok]. TJ. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  28. "Russia's Clandestine Chemical Weapons Programme and the GRU's Unit 29155". Bellingcat. The Insider, Der Spiegel, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  29. Baklanov, Alexander (October 23, 2020). "В России продолжают разработку "Новичка". Ученый, связанный с исследованиями, ездил в штаб-квартиру ГРУ перед отравлением Скрипалей" [Development of Novichok continues in Russia. Research scientist travelled to GRU headquarters before the Skripal poisoning]. Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  30. Lister, Tim; Ward, Clarissa; Shukla, Sebastian (December 15, 2020). "CNN-Bellingcat investigation identifies Russian specialists who trailed Putin's nemesis Alexey Navalny before he was poisoned". CNN. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  31. "'Bellingcat' joint investigation implicates FSB in Navalny poisoning". Meduza. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  32. Navalny, Alexei (December 14, 2020). "Дело раскрыто. Я знаю всех, кто пытался меня убить" [The case has been solved. I know everyone who tried to kill me]. YouTube. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  33. "Навального отравили "Новичком" сотрудники спецгруппы ФСБ. Названы их имена и псевдонимы" [Navalny was poisoned by "Novichok" by officers of the FSB special group. Their names and aliases were revealed]. Meduza. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  34. "Лаборатория. Как сотрудники НИИ-2 ФСБ пытались отравить Алексея Навального" [Laboratory. How FSB NII-2 employees tried to poison Alexei Navalny]. The Insider (in Russian). December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  35. "FSB Team of Chemical Weapon Experts Implicated in Alexey Navalny Novichok Poisoning". Bellingcat. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  36. Galeotti, Mark (December 14, 2020). "Latest Navalny Investigation Puts an Increasingly Paranoid Kremlin on the Spot". The Moscow Times. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  37. Toler, Aric (December 14, 2020). "Hunting the Hunters: How We Identified Navalny's FSB Stalkers". Bellingcat. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  38. Ljubas, Zdravko (April 29, 2020). "Bellingcat: Russia's FSB Officer Played Crucial Role in MH17 Downing". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  39. "The Insider, Bellingcat and the BBC called a Russian General, a key defendant in the case about the crash of MH17". KXan 36 Daily News. April 28, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  40. "The Insider, Bellingcat и BBC назвали российского генерала ключевым фигурантом дела о крушении MH17" [The Insider, Bellingcat and the BBC have named the Russian general as a key figure in the MH17 crash case]. Kommersant (in Russian). April 28, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  41. "Senior Russian FSB Officer Named as Key MH17 Figure: Bellingcat". The Moscow Times. April 28, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  42. "Переходит все границы. Ключевым фигурантом дела о сбитом "Боинге" оказался замглавы Погранслужбы ФСБ генерал Бурлака" [Goes beyond all boundaries. The key person involved in the case of the downed Boeing was the deputy head of the FSB Border Service, General Burlaka]. The Insider (in Russian). Bellingcat. April 28, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  43. "The Insider и Bellingcat назвали ключевого фигуранта дела о крушении MH17 — это замглавы пограничной службы ФСБ генерал Андрей Бурлака" [The Insider and Bellingcat have named the key person involved in the MH17 crash - the deputy head of the FSB border service, General Andrei Burlaka]. Meduza. April 28, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  44. "Говорит и показывает ГРУ. Как Минобороны распространяет фейки через иностранных "журналистов"" [Speaks and shows GRU. How the Ministry of Defence spreads fakes through foreign "journalists"]. The Insider (in Russian). November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  45. "The GRU's MH17 Disinformation Operations Part 1: The Bonanza Media Project". Bellingcat. November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  46. Hackett, Kristen (November 12, 2020). "The GRU's MH17 Disinformation Operations Part 1: The Bonanza Media Project | Bellingcat". MediaWell. Social Science Research Council. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  47. "English platform linked to Russian Military, MH17 disinformation campaign: Report". NL Times. November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  48. "Investigative journalists link website behind fake news about MH17 crash to Russia's GRU". Meduza. November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  49. Merkureva, Karina (November 10, 2017). "Российское издание The Insider получило премию Совета Европы" [The Russian newspaper The Insider received the Council of Europe Prize]. Deutsche Welle (in Russian). Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  50. "Unmasking the Salisbury Poisoning Suspects: A Four-Part Investigation". European Press Prize. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  51. "European Press Prize winners announced". The Irish Times. May 23, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  52. "Free Media Awards 2019 gehen an couragierte Journalisten aus Russland, Armenien, Aserbaidschan und der Ukraine" [Free Media Awards 2019 go to courageous journalists from Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine]. ZEIT-Stiftung (in German). Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  53. Arosev, Grigory (August 19, 2019). "СМИ из РФ, Украины и Армении отмечены премией за свободу прессы" [Media from the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Armenia were awarded with the Free Media Award]. Deutsche Welle (in Russian). Retrieved December 10, 2020.
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