Throughout history soldiers have used drugs, sometimes to fight better or to stay alert, or perhaps to help cope with the extreme psychological situation and trauma they are faced with. The current conflict in Ukraine is no different. Concerns around this led to the Ukrainian parliament passing a new law that authorizes random drug and alcohol tests on soldiers. Organized crime is nothing if not adaptable, even in this most extreme environment. The soldiers fighting to protect their homeland represent a new and relatively wealthy market, ripe for criminal networks to exploit. And they are doing just that. So who is behind this market? This is a story about war, drugs, the darknet and corruption.Speaker(s):TedSashaAdditional Reading:<a href="https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/organized-criminal-economies-ukraine-2022/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">(GI Paper) New front lines: Organized criminal economies in Ukraine in 2022</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-lawmakers-tout-baseless-claims-ukrainian-super-soldiers-2022-7?r=US&IR=T" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Business Insider - Russian lawmakers baselessly claim their army is up against biologically modified Ukrainian super soldiers</a><a href="https://www.livescience.com/65788-world-war-ii-nazis-methamphetamines.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LiveScience - Nazis Dosed Soldiers with Performance-Boosting 'Superdrug'</a>History - <a href="https://www.history.com/news/drug-use-in-vietnam" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">G.I.s’ Drug Use in Vietnam Soared—With Their Commanders’ Help</a><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/04/the-drugs-that-built-a-super-soldier/477183/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Atlantic - The Drugs That Built a Super Soldier</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve42DWluB8A" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Journeyman Pictures - Sierra Leone's Cocaine-Drugged Child Soldiers</a><a href="https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/syria-lebanon-captagon-ocindex/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - Lebanon’s role in Syria’s Captagon trade</a><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/27/ukraine-war-zelensky-fighting-corruption/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Washington Post - Zelensky takes on Ukraine’s top internal enemy</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKawuz63PGY&t=310s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Legatum Institute - Looting Ukraine: The East, the West and the Corruption of a Country (Full Version)</a><a href="https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022/index/ukr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Transparency International - Corruption Perceptions Index</a><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-investigation-leads-shutdown-largest-online-darknet-marketplace" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US DoJ Press release - Justice Department Investigation Leads to Shutdown of Largest Online Darknet Marketplace</a><a href="https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/hydra-garantex-ofac-sanctions-russia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chainalysis - OFAC Sanctions Hydra Following Law Enforcement Shutdown of the Darknet Market, As Well As Russian Exchange Garantex</a><a href="https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cathinones-bath-salts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Institute on Drug Abuse - Synthetic Cathinones ("Bath Salts") DrugFacts</a><a href="https://www.unian.info/society/10629588-sbu-busts-major-drug-lab-in-kyiv-region-in-raid-against-local-branch-of-int-l-drug-cartel.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNIAN.info - SBU busts major drug lab in Kyiv region in raid against local branch of int'l drug cartel</a><a href="https://archive.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/authorities-bust-cocaine-hidden-in-banana-freight-container-in-odesa-port.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kyiv Post - Authorities bust cocaine hidden in banana freight container in Odesa port</a><a href="https://cmhmda.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Report-on-drug-situation-in-Ukraine-2020.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Institute of Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatric Examination and Drug Monitoring of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine - Report on drug situation in Ukraine 2020</a><a href="https://archive.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/nabu-to-serve-notice-of-suspicion-on-sbu-deputy-chief-demchyna.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kyiv Post - NABU to serve notice of suspicion on SBU Deputy Chief Demchyna</a><a href="https://slate.com/technology/2022/05/ransomware-customer-service-history.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Slate - Ransomware Goes to Business School - Good customer service has become a key part of a lucrative scam</a><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/colorado-man-sentenced-11-years-prison-moderating-disputes-darknet-marketplace-alphabay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US DoJ Press Release - Colorado Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Moderating Disputes on Darknet Marketplace AlphaBay</a><a href="https://news.pn/ru/criminal/214567" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">News.pn - Chopped fingers, millions of dollars and gold bars »: SBU told details about the largest drug cartel</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFMNXnt7VL8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Служба безпеки України (SBU) - CБУ блокувала діяльність «підрозділу» міжнародного наркосиндикату «Хімпром» (SBU blocked the activities of the "unit" of the international drug syndicate "Khimprom")</a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariredbord/2023/01/23/the-us-and-allies-go-after-crypto-exchange-and-russia/?sh=2f9223d24a52" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forbes - The U.S. And Allies Go After Crypto Exchange And Russian Money Laundering</a><a href="https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/dubai-uncovered-data-leak-exposes-how-criminals-officials-and-sanctioned-politicians-poured-money-into-dubai-real-estate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) - Dubai Uncovered: Data Leak Exposes How Criminals, Officials, and Sanctioned Politicians Poured Money Into Dubai Real Estate</a><a href="https://dbr.gov.ua/news/dbr-zhorstko-protidie-sprobam-rozpovsyudzhennya-narkotikiv-v-prifrontovih-rajonah" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SBU - ДБР жорстко протидіє спробам розповсюдження наркотиків в прифронтових районах</a>

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