A secret program, 'suicidal' missions, and death, torture in occupied Ukraine

A months-long investigation by the Kyiv Independent uncovered how millions in British and Canadian funding meant for a Ukrainian resistance movement was secretly funneled to a Dubai-based British-run communications company — and it's not really clear what they did with it.

The actual "resistance operation" was an automated Telegram chatbot telling activists in Russian-occupied Ukraine to do things like take pictures with Ukrainian symbols or listen to Ukrainian songs in public — any expression of Ukrainian identity that could put you in grave danger in occupied territory.

While they were all raking in the cash, Ukrainian civilians were risking, and in some cases losing, their lives — just for the sake of a picture and a few retweets.

Видео A secret program, 'suicidal' missions, and death, torture in occupied Ukraine канала Kyiv Independent