Belarusian Investigative Center

Investigations IKEA left — the furniture stayed. How a Belarusian factory owned by a Lithuanian millionaire supplied Russia with lookalikes of the Swedish brand

Until September 2026, the figure behind Novus Industry was Sigitas Paulauskas, the owner of VMG Group, a Lithuanian supplier to IKEA.

08 October 2026 Read Article

Investigations Lithuanian beneficiary sold Belarusian SWOODS Export plant to Russians despite the ban. What we know about the deal

One of the parties to the deal was a company owned by Sigitas Paulauskas, the owner of VMG Group.

08 October 2026 Read Article

Investigations Chinese сompany Zoomlion continued its partnership with MAZ following the imposition of U.S. sanctions

The company uses chassis manufactured by the Belarusian plant for its equipment.

15 September 2026 Read Article

Investigations From Russia to Belarus — and back. A new route for Lithuanian GPS trackers

Despite Teltonika’s withdrawal and the imposition of sanctions, its equipment continues to reach the Belarusian and Russian markets.

31 August 2026 Read Article

Investigations Machine tools from Belarusian and European brands were supplied to the Russian military-industrial complex by Belarusian businessmen

They have dozens of Russian defense enterprises among their clients.

31 August 2026 Read Article

Investigations “Workhorses that operate 24/7.” Belarusian machine tools were sold to companies linked to Russia’s defense industry

The BIC uncovered more than $8 million worth of shipments from Rontek Machine Tools to Russian companies linked to the defense industry.

28 August 2026 Read Article

Investigations “CDEK used to deliver to Debaltseve, in the LNR.” A Belarusian company with Estonian capital supplies hemostatics to meet the needs of the Russian army

An undercover journalist received a discount for the delivery of hemostatics to Russian soldiers in occupied Ukrainian territories.

24 August 2026 Read Article

Investigations How to become a millionaire? The rise of a woman linked to a Lukashenko ally

A BIC source suggested she may have benefited from business patronage, while documents point to her son’s ties to a senior government official.

30 July 2026 Read Article

Investigations Sheiman’s associates built a business around importing Chinese motorcycles at undervalued prices

To reach the Russian market, the equipment first passed through Russia in transit, underwent customs clearance in Belarus, and only then re-entered Russia.

14 July 2026 Read Article

Investigations “Exclusive access for the select few.” How a new special exporter brings together former security officials and Presidential Property Management staff

...and why another arms-trading organization may have emerged in Belarus.

24 June 2026 Read Article

Investigations Kotau’s dangerous connections: How the Belarusian opposition figure disappeared and who was involved

This story has everything: arms dealers and security services, love and money, a luxury yacht and a route through several countries.

18 June 2026 Read Article

Investigations The “tobacco king’s” creative bookkeeping: How Aliaksei Aleksin withdrew millions of euros via New Zealand and Vanuatu

The scheme involved citizens of Lithuania and Russia.

15 June 2026 Read Article

Investigations Clean energy — dirty routes. How Belarusian wood pellets were marketed to Europe in an attempt to circumvent sanctions

The trade data we analyzed also included a Polish company.

12 June 2026 Read Article

Investigations The grey area trap. How people from Sheiman’s entourage first obtained and then lost real estate in Crimea

Court hearings over properties worth more than €2 million have been ongoing since 2023.

14 May 2026 Read Article

Investigations From Belarus with war: In the two years since the start of the full-scale invasion, Belarusian companies have doubled their supplies to Russian arms manufacturers

The BIC analyzed data on supplies from 58 Belarusian enterprises to 41 Russian military-industrial complex plants

08 May 2026 Read Article

Investigations “Operates during wartime.” A British company’s Belarusian subsidiary supplies parts to Russian military plants

Both entities are owned by a businessman from Belarus.

23 April 2026 Read Article

Lola Buryeva