Photo: Dimitar Stoyanov, BIRD Russian Elites’ Connections to Bulgaria’s Largest ‘Crime Group’ Leading Russian defense figures bought luxury apartments in a Black Sea resort controlled by an organization U.S. diplomats called one of the country’s largest crime syndicates Several heads of Russian state-owned companies — including acquaintances of President Vladimir Putin — have residences in a Bulgarian Black Sea resort controlled by TIM — an organization U.S.

Several heads of Russian state-owned companies — including acquaintances of President Vladimir Putin — have residences in a Bulgarian Black Sea resort controlled by TIM — an organization U.S. diplomats named one of Bulgaria’s largest crime organizations and which was created by communist-era military and intelligence officers with connections at the highest state level.

This story is also available in English here Руководители российских госкомпаний, в том числе знакомые президента Владимира Путина, обосновались недалеко от портового города Варны на самом старом черноморском курорте Болгарии. Этот курорт контролирует местная группа «ТИМ», которую в американских дипломатических депешах называли крупнейшей «криминальной организацией», созданной бывшими военными и сотрудниками спецслужб со связями на высоком государственном уровне.

Photo: Dimitar Stoyanov, BIRD Russian Elites’ Connections to Bulgaria’s Largest ‘Crime Group’ Leading Russian defense figures bought luxury apartments in a Black Sea resort controlled by an organization U.S. diplomats called one of the country’s largest crime syndicates Several heads of Russian state-owned companies — including acquaintances of President Vladimir Putin — have residences in a Bulgarian Black Sea resort controlled by TIM — an organization U.S.