Russian Andrei Aleksandrovich Shkrabo is under number 17 in the list. He has been \u00absupervisor of humanitarian sub-group of Tripartite Contact Group and directly communicated with Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk\u00bb.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Center of Journalist Investigations decided to find out more about activity of \u00abFSB supervisor of Medvedchuk\u00bb before and after the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine. <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n Leaked and open databases of the Russian Federation confirmed that Andrei Aleksandrovich Shkrabo, born on 14.07.1958, has served in Russian military unit # 26047 until July 2014. It is the 5th<\/sup> Service of FSB, located at the address \u2013 Moscow, Velyka Lubyanka street, 12.<\/p>\n Behind Putin and Zolotov <\/strong><\/p>\n The oldest photo of Andrei Shkrabo we found is dated 2006. It is the photo of the opening ceremony of ferry line \u00abUst-Luga-Baltiisk\u00bb.<\/a> The ferry line connected Kaliningrad oblast with \u00abGreat Russia\u00bb in Finnish Bay. Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in the ceremony.<\/p>\n Andrei Shkrabo as bodyguard of Vladimir Putin at the opening of ferry line \u00abUst-Luga-Baltiisk\u00bb, 2006. Photo: mintrans.gov.ru<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Ferry line and port of Ust-Luga have been very important for Russia. Ice free water area of Ust-Luga has secured all year round navigation for export of Russian oil, metals and wood, and transportation of cargo for Russian naval base in Baltic region. Ferry line strengthened the position of Russia in the region and lessened dependence of the delivery of strategic cargo to Kaliningrad upon Lithuania.<\/p>\n The photo shows Viktor Zolotov, then main bodyguard of Putin and Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Guard Service, and current Commander of the Russian Guard, and Andrei Shkrabo behind Putin.<\/p>\n Andrei Shkrabo as bodyguard of Vladimir Putin at the opening of ferry line \u00abUst-Luga-Baltiisk\u00bb, 2006. Photo: mintrans.gov.ru<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Kaliningrad might have been the place of stationing of Shkrabo at that time. His wife Rimma Shkrabo indicates Kaliningrad as her native city and Moscow as the city of residence since 2000s in social media.<\/p>\n Russian databases indicate Latvian city of Liepaja as the place of birth of two daughters of Rimma and Andrei Shkrabo \u2013 Maria and Tatiana. It seems that Shkrabo has served in KGB in Latvia before the disruption of the Soviet Union. He preserved his connections with Baltic States and their citizens as we will show in the chapter about business of FSB (Russian Federal Security Service).<\/p>\n Andrei Shkrabo and his wife Rimma Shkrabo. Photo: facebook \u0420\u0438\u043c\u043c\u0430 \u0428\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n In 2014, Andrei Shkrabo retired as military pensioner. However, his further activity was related to the Russian intelligence services and he worked in various roles in Russia and abroad, including occupied territories of Ukraine.<\/p>\n \u00abRepresentative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations\u00bb in Minsk <\/strong><\/p>\n In June 2014, \u00abTripartite Contact Group on Peaceful Settlement of Situation in Eastern Ukraine\u00bb (hereinafter referred as TCG) was set up. It was aimed at stopping military conflict by diplomatic means. There were three parties in TCG \u2013 Ukraine, Russian and Ukraine.<\/p>\n Russians did not recognize themselves as the party of the military conflict and used TCG to legalize occupation authorities, illegally created under their support and supervision on occupied territories of Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts.<\/p>\n They brought leaders of so-called \u00abDonetsk and Luhansk People\u2019s Republics\u00bb (DNR\\LNR) to meetings of sub-groups of TCG and tried to launch direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russian puppets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Parti\u0441ipants of Tripartite Contact Group in Minsk (from left to right): from Russia \u2013 Boris Gryzlov, from OSCE \u2013 Martin Saidik, from Ukraine \u2013 Leonid Kuchma. Photo: Darka.Olefir<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Iryna Geraschenko, <\/strong>current member of the Ukrainian parliament and then First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, has been representative of Ukraine in humanitarian sub-group. This sub-group focused, inter alia, on release of Ukrainian citizens, illegally detained on temporary occupied territories of Eastern Ukraine and in Russia.<\/p>\n Viktor Medvedchuk<\/strong>, then member of the Ukrainian parliament and one of leaders of pro-Russian opposition in Ukraine, has been also involved into the work of humanitarian sub-group. His status and powers in TCG were often criticized, and President of Ukraine Poroshenko had to justify the role of godfather of Putin in Minsk negotiations.<\/p>\n \u00abThe only function of Viktor Medvedchuk in TCG is to release Ukrainian hostages detained in Russia and on occupied territories\u00bb, as told<\/a> Poroshenko in June 2016.<\/p>\n \u00abViktor Medvedchuk conducts meetings not within TCG as he is not member of TCG. He is the member of the sub-group on humanitarian issues and he conducts meetings within sub-groups\u00bb, as added Poroshenko.<\/p>\n Vladimir Stepanov<\/strong>, First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation, has been an official representative of Russia in humanitarian sub-group. As Iryna Geraschenko says, Russians explained participation of this Ministry by its experience in international humanitarian missions. But then Stepanov stopped coming to meetings of sub-group in Minsk<\/p>\n \u00abSomebody, called Andrei, has replaced Stepanov. He called himself representative of the senior management of the Ministry but did not disclose his position or title. Later our intelligence services confirmed that he was a staff member of FSB. He rarely spoke at meetings and wrote down everything; he insisted on participation of representatives of \u00abDNR\\LNR\u00bb. They flew to Minsk together with Russians from Moscow\u00bb<\/em>, as says Geraschenko in her interview to the CJI.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Iryna Geraschenko has been the first to publish the photo of Andrei Shkrabo as an official \u00abrepresentative of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations\u00bb in humanitarian sub-group of TCG.<\/p>\n On September 17, 2016, two illegally detained Ukrainians Volodymyr Zhemchugov and Yuri Suprun were released on the bridge in the Ukrainian city of Schastia.<\/p>\n \u0406\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0430 \u0413\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0435\u043d\u043a\u043e, <\/b>\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u043f\u0443\u0442\u0430\u0442\u043a\u0430 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0438, \u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0442\u043e\u0439 \u0447\u0430\u0441 – \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0448\u0430 \u0432\u0456\u0446\u0435-\u0441\u043f\u0456\u043a\u0435\u0440\u043a\u0430 \u0412\u0420\u0423, \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f\u043b\u0430 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0443 \u0432 \u0433\u0443\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0456\u0442\u0430\u0440\u043d\u0456\u0439 \u043f\u0456\u0434\u0433\u0440\u0443\u043f\u0456, \u044f\u043a\u0430, \u0441\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434 \u0456\u043d\u0448\u043e\u0433\u043e, \u0437\u0430\u0439\u043c\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044f \u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u0437\u0432\u0456\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0446\u0456\u0432, \u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u043a\u043e\u043d\u043d\u043e \u0443\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0445 \u043d\u0430 \u0442\u0438\u043c\u0447\u0430\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u043e\u043a\u0443\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0445 \u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0456\u044f\u0445 \u0414\u043e\u043d\u0431\u0430\u0441\u0443 \u0456 \u0432 \u0420\u0424. \u0423 \u0440\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0456 \u043f\u0456\u0434\u0433\u0440\u0443\u043f\u0438 \u0431\u0440\u0430\u0432 \u0443\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0456 <\/span>\u0412\u0456\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440 \u041c\u0435\u0434\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0447\u0443\u043a<\/b>, \u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043f\u0443\u0442\u0430\u0442 \u0456 \u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d \u0437 \u043b\u0456\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0456\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0456\u0439\u0441\u044c\u043a\u043e\u0457 \u043e\u043f\u043e\u0437\u0438\u0446\u0456\u0457 \u0432 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0456. \u0419\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0441 \u0432 \u0422\u041a\u0413, \u0432 \u043f\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0456 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0442\u0432\u0430 \u0456 \u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0443, \u0431\u0443\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043c\u0435\u0442\u043e\u043c \u043a\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0438 \u043d\u0430 \u0430\u0434\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0430 \u041f\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u0435\u043d\u043a\u0430, \u044f\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0434\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c \u043f\u043e\u044f\u0441\u043d\u044e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0440\u043e\u043b\u044c \u043a\u0443\u043c\u0430 \u041f\u0443\u0442\u0456\u043d\u0430 \u0432 \u043c\u0456\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0456.<\/span><\/p>\n Iryna Geraschenko meets Volodymyr Zhemchugov and Yuri Suprun, released from Russian captivity. September 16, 2016. Photo presented by Iryna Geraschenko<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Representatives of OSCE observed the release of Ukrainians. Suddenly, Iryna Geraschenko saw Russian Andrei Shkrabo who came from occupied territories and violated the rules of crossing the state border of Ukraine.<\/p>\n As Geraschenko says, Shkrabo came to Schastia in the car of OSCE, and OSCE representatives should have understood that they contributed to the violation of rules of crossing the Ukrainian border.<\/p>\n This fact has been outrageous as since the beginning of 2016 Russian intelligence services impeded upon Geraschenko\u2019s access to the meetings of Russian court, considering \u00abthe case of Nadia Savchenko\u00bb in Russian city of Rostov, and to the meetings of humanitarian sub-group in Minsk.<\/p>\n Andrei Shkrabo illegally entered Ukrainian territory to oversee the transfer of Ukrainian civil captives Volodymyr Zhemchugov and Yuri Suprun. Ukrainian city of Schastia. September 17, 2016. Photo presented by Iryna Geraschenko.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n In March 2016, FSB imposed a ban on Geraschenko\u2019s entrance to the Russian Federation until 2021. As Russia and Belarus had joint \u00abstop-list\u00bb, this ban covered an entrance to Belarus, too. It threatened participation of Geraschenko in meetings of humanitarian sub-group in TCG. Russian decision violated \u00abMinsk agreements\u00bb and pressured the senior leadership of Ukraine.<\/p>\n In May 2016, Geraschenko reported<\/a> that the Belorussian Ministry of Internal Affairs excluded her from the \u00abstop-list\u00bb. The ban on entrance to Russian was not cancelled.<\/p>\n Russian decisions were aimed at increasing the political weight of Viktor Medvedchuk by making him \u00abcrucial\u00bb in releasing Ukrainian captives.<\/p>\n It is ironic that, in September 2022, Medvedchuk himself became the object of exchanges between Ukraine and Russia\u2026<\/p>\n Assisting Medvedchuk <\/strong><\/p>\n December 2016<\/strong>. Minsk correspondent of Radio \u00abLiberty\u00bb\u00a0 Valerii Kalinovsky reported<\/a> that leaders of puppet \u00abrepublics\u00bb Igor Plotnytsky<\/strong> and Oleksandr Zakharchenko<\/strong> came from Moscow to Minsk for the meeting of TCG on December 7, 2016. Later Kalinovsky reported that Nadia Savchenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, conducted secret meeting with them. The meeting was held in restaurant of Minsk hotel \u00abViktoria\u00bb for several hours. Besides Russian puppet \u00ableaders\u00bb, the following people participated in the meeting: Volodymyr Ruban<\/strong> (the State Security Service of Ukraine argued that he has been an assistant of Medvedchuk) and two Russians \u2013 Mikhail Baluev<\/strong> and Andrei Shkrabo<\/strong>. Ukrainian media called him \u00abShkriaba\u00bb.<\/p>\n \u00abIt is interesting that Skriaba paid for Savchenko and Ruban in restaurant whereas Baluev \u2013 for Zakharchenko and Plotnytsky after the end of meeting\u00bb, as added Kalinovsky in his interview<\/a> to Ukrainian TV channel 112.<\/p>\n On December 12, 2016, Nadia Savchenko confirmed the meeting with separatists. Next day, she confirmed Kalinovsky\u2019s information about other two Russian participants \u2013 members of Minsk group on humanitarian issues Mikhail Baluev and \u2026 Oleg Shkriaba (see her interview to project \u00ab\u0414\u043e\u043d\u0431\u0430\u0441.\u0420\u0435\u0430\u043b\u0456\u0457\u00bb).<\/u><\/p>\n![\"\u0410\u043d\u0434\u0440\u0454\u0439](\"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/znimok-ekrana-2024-09-05-152002.png\")
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