The multi-day motorsport rally “Silk Way Rallye” is one of the most important long-distance rallies in the world: Every year, the event draws top drivers, journalists and fans from all over the world to Russia and the former Soviet republics and partly leads along routes of the historic Silk Road.
Research by “Spiegel“, „The Insider” and “The worldrevealed that the race is linked to the Russian secret service GRU. According to the research, the Silk Way Rally could serve as a cover for Russian intelligence operations along the route. The leader of the Silk Way Rally plays a key role here: the Paris-based Russian Bulat Yanborisov could in fact be a high-ranking Kremlin agent.
Yanborosov received special government orders
The Russian secret service recently awarded Berlin-based Russian entrepreneur Bulat Yanborissov with the Alexander Nevsky Order and the Order of Bravery. The deputy head of the Russian military intelligence service GRU, Vladimir Alexeyev, personally presented the awards to Yanborisov during a solemn ceremony. Two years ago, President Putin gave you an important task and you did everything to fulfill it,” the general said.
Yanborosov received the award for his long-term contribution to strengthening Russia’s defense capabilities and for the success of several special operations, reports “Le Monde”. “This is not an ordinary award, because the order is usually given to particularly brave Russian military personnel – but officially Yanborosov has nothing to do with the military or the secret service. He is merely the head of organization for the Silk Way Rally, one of the most important rallies in the international motorsport circuit.
But behind the international rally there is said to be a secret strategy of the Russian Defense Ministry. Internal documents of the rally organization company as well as intensive contacts from Yanborosov, one of the participants, to the highest circles of the GRU suggest that the drivers are not only driving for sporting success, but also on behalf of Russia – probably without knowing it.
Russia wants to expand “soft power”.
According to Spiegel, a document from the race organizers dated December 9, 2021 entitled “Silk Road Communication Platform” states that Silkway is trying to strengthen Russia’s “soft power” through international economic cooperation. For example, a cooperation between Gazprom and the Chinese oil company CNPC agreed, which led to a doubling of Russian gas supplies to China.
In addition, Silkway prevented a coup in Mongolia and delivered Chinese corona tests to the Russian military during the 2020 corona pandemic, according to Der Spiegel. Another document emphasizes that the Belt and Road project is designed to use Russia’s “soft power” to encourage countries such as Russia, China, Iran, Qatar, Afghanistan and Syria to cooperate more closely.
Also related is a mammoth edition of the original rally proposed in the paper. The route was to lead from Qatar’s capital, Doha, via Central Asia to Syria’s Damascus, where the pro-Russian despot Bashar al-Assad rules. The aim of the race: to strengthen cooperation between the participating countries.
Construction of logistics terminals
But that’s not all: According to Spiegel, the document states that logistics terminals are to be built in these and other countries, including their own 5G communication network. In this way, Russia wants to influence Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the interests of Moscow, reports Der Spiegel. The plans have little to do with motorsport.
There is also evidence that Yanborisov himself is bringing his ideas to the Russian government. In an internal document from November 2021, Yanborrisov is said to have approached Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to achieve Russia’s geopolitical, military, economic and other goals via the Silk Road platform. The rally boss specifically listed countries and their energy dependency on Russia.
Dubious phone contacts
And Yanborisov’s telephone data, which “The Insider” has available, also indicate dubious contacts: in 2022 he is said to have communicated more than 60 times with the secret service deputy Alexeyev. In addition, according to “The Insider”, Janborissow is said to have had contact information several times with Rustam Dsch. – a suspected former member of GRU Elite Unit 29155. This is said to be responsible, among other things, for the poisoning of the Russian ex-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in 2018.
Stunningly similar proposal of a spy project
Particularly explosive is the fact that an e-mail from a retired officer of Russia’s domestic intelligence service, the FSB, proposes to his partners a spy project that is strikingly similar to the Yanborosov documents. According to Der Spiegel, the document proposes launching a reconnaissance operation along the historic Silk Road that could be camouflaged by Russian society. By setting up logistic centers along the route, secret information could be collected and passed on.
The documents have not yet fully proven that Yanborisov and his Silk Road rally are actually a Russian secret service operation – but the evidence strongly suggests a connection.
