Help us find 5,000 new members. Bring one friend.

Share your personal link and make us stronger in 2027.

Investigations

An illustration of a man talking to a woman on an online dating site.
Investigations

Investigation: The romance scam tricking men into ‘rescuing’ Ukrainian women from Russian occupation

by Linda Hourani

Stefan, a 48-year-old Austrian national whose name has been changed at his request, had been looking for a Ukrainian partner. Having previously dated a Ukrainian woman, he said he was drawn to what he viewed as the importance of family in Ukrainian culture. He met "Alona Panchenko," who claimed to be from the Russian-occupied city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, on the international dating website Christian Cupid. Soon after they matched, she suggested moving their conversation to email.

News Feed

How Russian-linked organized crime infiltrated Ukraine's law enforcement

Ukraine's latest corruption scandal has exposed an unlikely alliance between organized crime and the law enforcement officials meant to fight it. Two men from the criminal underworld allegedly wielded influence over senior Ukrainian law enforcement officials, paying bribes in exchange for protection for their illicit businesses. The latest revelations stem from a sweeping investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO),

News Feed