Comrades in CrimeExploring the Russian-speaking illicit crypto ecosystem
From ransomware groups to illicit marketplace operators, Russian-speaking threat actors have become a ubiquitous force in international crypto crime. United by their use of the Russian language, these groups and individuals now play an outsized role in most types of crypto-enabled cybercrime around the world—with some holding links to the Kremlin or actively using crypto to procure foreign equipment for the Russian war effort.
In this report, we explore recent trends in the Russian-speaking crypto ecosystem, bringing together blockchain data collected and analyzed by TRM Labs to document the broad range of crypto crime committed by Russian-speaking threat actors.
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Russian-speaking ransomware groups accounted for at
least 69% of all crypto proceeds from ransomware in 2023, exceeding USD 500 million
Russian-language darknet markets comprised 95% of all crypto-denominated illicit drug sales on the dark web in 2023
Inflows to just one Russia-based crypto exchange, Garantex, accounted for 82% of crypto volumes belonging to all sanctioned entities internationally
