Questions and answers part 2--Syrskyi out; the vory and... drugs in Europe (and Poland)

As promised, we are back with more questions sent in from perusers of The Corners… but what a difference a day makes. Or a couple, at any rate--especially in Ukraine.

For as of July 22, 2026, Ukraine’s former chief-of-staff, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi is out, having been dismissed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following widespread protests in the wake of the previous removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

There is much to ponder here—even more than did Yours Truly in the previous blog—especially as Fedorov repeatedly refused to work as an advisory, following his own firing (but all the while calling for the ouster of Syrskyi). Syrskyi then wrote an open letter in which he claimed to be largely unaware of tension between himself and Fedorov—even though this was ostensibly what got Fedorov dismissed in the first place.

And in fact, as the rumours go, there was a point when Zelenskyy considered firing the both of them… because they just could not get along.

But that was then, and now is now, with the current iteration of now seeing Syrskyi replaced by the 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi. Meanwhile, Fedorov has been replaced by the Ukrainian secret service’s (SBU) Yevhenii Khmara.

Just where Fedorov will go—if he returns—was unknown at press time, although Zelenskyy was reported to have offered him a “prominent” position. Fedorov had previously sworn not to return unless he was given back his post as minister of defense, which does not look like it’s in the cards.

But here is the (possible) upside. Drapatyi is see as experienced, skilled and popular—and he is all for the continuation of the long-range drone strikes that Fedorov championed (and which have been remarkably effective) to the point that he has been described as a Fedorov “ally” by the Western press. Meanwhile, Khmara is not only highly respected, but he’s a special-ops type, who is known to have participated directly in missions on the ground, which possibly will more likely demand respect from even soviet school Ukrainian commanders than could have Fedorov, as successful as his track record may be.

In fact, the moves by Zelenskyy have left many (including Yours Truly) nodding their heads with regard to savvy and turning an ugly, dividing scenario into a possible real leap forward. Obviously, it is too early to assume this will be the case. While Syrskyi has taken incredible amounts of criticism from inside and outside the military, his old-school stance and determination to dig in effectively did buy Ukraine time to accomplish the technological advances and adapt the mid- and long-range drone strategies that have (possibly) turned the tables in the war. Here it is noteworthy that even Fedorov (begrudgingly) has admitted that Syrskyi was “effective.” And despite Western headlines, Drapatyi has much on his plate, as Russia is still pressing hard. If work allows, I will put together another update, but in short, the fortress line is under tremendous pressure, with Russia falling back on glide bombs and infiltration, but also with teams of drone-operator hunters proving dangerously effective. When it comes to the fortress line, Kupiansk is back to being a cauldron of casualties, with some claiming that the Russians are “trapped” in pockets in the city and taking the worst of it; the Kupiansk pocket is shrinking and making escape across the Oskil for remaining Ukrainians risky indeed; Russian forces are pressing toward Borova and the pocket to the south is also shrinking, and Russian forces are at Novoselivka north of Lyman. South of Lyman, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are clearly going to be a focus and Kostiantynivka is a death zone where the Russians are paying dearly, but to claim that the city is still under Ukrainian control… would be a stretch.

Meanwhile, a new Russian mobilization of between 500,000 to 1,000,000 men will likely become a reality despite the many, many cracks in the foundation of the Vladimir Putin regime.

Still, Zelenskyy has once again proven he can take a lemon of a situation and make lemonade. Maybe.

Time will tell. For a bit more background on the moves, check out this link: https://www.rferl.org/a/who-is-yevhen-khmara-ukraine-defense-minister-fedorov/33805925.html

Now back to the letters.

You used to] write about Russian criminal gangs and [the vory-v-zakone/thieves-in-law] but I do not see this now. Have these gangs been destroyed? Have gang members all died in the Russian-Ukrainian war?--Anthony M., USA

Good question. And again I’m going to give you a yes-and-no answer. In the past I’ve noted that the more standard mafia groups, as well as the vory (and there are cases where these were somewhat mixed) were pushed hard by not only Putin, but also by the US through targeting and through what were essentially anti-racketeering laws targeting the vory in Russia and in the former soviet states. This was well before COVID—but even then we saw the vory, especially, moving West. First, they tried Ukraine, but the Ukrainians at that time were well aware of easter mafia groups so many made for Turkey, Germany and Spain.

The war in Ukraine prompted a number to also get out of Russia (and Ukraine) while the getting was still good. You hate to see it, but mob types tend to pick up on the winds of change sooner than civilians, and they also take advantage of instability. This led not only to immediate visibility of human trafficking (taking advantage of Ukrainian and Belarussian refugees) back in 2022, but also with said crime figures attempting to insert themselves into a Western Europe that in fact also has thousands of crime gangs.

And perhaps they seemed to go quiet. However, of late they have been turning up like bad pennies. And when I say of late, I mean of late—and here are a few examples.

• Alleged smuggler and murderer, Ukrainian-Russian mob boss “Edik” (sometimes known as “Entik” (who also happens to be a Georgian and possibly a member of the vory) was arrested in Dubai with a tug-of-war now under way over whether or not he gets extradited to Russia or to Greece. Better for all of us would be Greece, but I digress. Edik’s gang was not small time, with more than 100 already arrested, and not only smuggled cigarettes, but he was likely behind a series of murders, including that of Vasilis Roumbetis, Dionysis Mouzakitiz, Vangelis Zabousi and Giannis Skaftoours, all reportedly members of Greek organized crime gangs. If you have never heard the names, in Greece the killings were a big deal, with Zabousi (also known as Zambon) in 2024 riddled with scores of bullets a la the US roaring 20s… a la Al Capone. By the way, the Dubai arrest is very, very recent, and there are even questions not only as to where he will be extradited, but… if he will be extradited or…

Whether he was arrested at all. Which should come as no surprise to those who know the Tito and Dino mob story and that debacle of arrest and release in Dubai.

• As reported by TVP World at the end of April, the Polish cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto, which suddenly saw more than 700 clients unable to withdraw funds, may well have been “taken over by a powerful Russian mafia group with links to the Kremlin using money routed through the Arabian Gulf, a report has claimed.” This has since been vehemently denied by the company (which at the time of supposed Russian activity went by the name Bitbay), but, as cited by TVP World, which cited reporting by Gazeta Wyborcza, “Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW), alleges that control of the company was acquired in 2018 by the Tambovskaya Bratva, a major criminal network based in St Petersburg, northwestern Russia.”

Yikes!

For just who are the Tambovskaya Bratva? I’ve referred to them quite often in the past, but this happens to be one of the more infamous Russian mob groups—this one based out of St. Petersburg and accused of crimes ranging from money laundering to racketeering to dealing in narcotics to arms trafficking from Russia all the way to Spain. And curiously, there is also a United Arab Emirates link. And yes, this is the one that at one time had alleged links to Russian politicians, including Vladmir Putin.

Now toss into this are arrest of Russian vory in Poland last year and this year, big-time money launder arrests and prosecutions in Spain, which also allegedly involved a Russian vor and finally worries that the Russian government is using organized crime groups to commit sabotage (and more) in the EU… and it would seem that there are more of these thugs out and about than one might assume.

[…] You have written a lot about the narcotics trade and about meth in Europe and Central Europe. I do not really see this as pervasive or a threat. I think there are more important things to write about. –MS, UK

Not really a question, and possibly your perspective would change if you were located in my part of the woods, but here goes: I personally view cocaine trafficking (and meth labs) as a real threat—to everyone. I was recently in the US and I was struck by meth and tranq (Xylazine) heads literally walking like zombies through the parking lot of my favourite barbeque joint back home. You have to see this to believe it, but if you also think that cocaine is not an in issue in Central European cities (and high schools), well, you are living an illusion.

What comes next is typically violence. True—at least in Poland we have not seen the kind of narco gang violence that has raged in Holland Belgium for years (the kind that sees government witnesses killed and even forces even a prime minister into hiding), but the turf wars are bound to begin. And no, we don’t need it. But to give a quick review of the scale of the problem, here are some recent notes:

• Only days ago Europol noted a major bust that saw the arrest of 20 gang members running cocaine and methamphetamines, which just happened to be using Poland as a key logistics hub. In the words of Europol, “the criminal group operated primarily in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine, overseeing the import, transport, storage and distribution of narcotics” and that “traffickers concealed narcotics in increasingly sophisticated ways, including inside children’s toys, household items and on their bodies”—and they generated some “EUR 950,000 from methamphetamine sales alone.”

But there was more in that “searches resulted in the seizure of drugs, vehicles, firearms, electronic equipment, signal jammers and devices used to break into vehicles” while in Ukraine officers “confiscated drones, firearms and ammunition, equipment used to operate a bot farm, approximately 30 kilograms of gold and silver jewellery, cash and electronic devices.”

• Last month (June) Polish authorities seized more than one tonne of heroin in the port of Gdynia with a street value of possibly more than EUR 50 mln. This was heroin shipped in from the United Arab Emirates. And while that’s quite a headline, there have been another seven major drug busts since the beginning of June involving cocaine or meth precursors—and in most of the seizures… weapons turned up.

These guys have weapons for a reason, friend. But apart from that, the co-opting of legitimate company storage for narcotics is a thing not only in CEE, but it has also taken place in Germany. So many drugs, so little space, etc.

 Crystal meth? I know cocaine and amphetamines have been popular for years, but haven't heard or seen much about crack or crystal in Europe.—JP, Poland

Unfortunately, meth lab or distribution networks are increasingly common in Central Europe, and the CBSP has been making busts every month for…

Years.
I honestly cannot even tell you how many. That said, they are on the increase, and they finally seem to have been noticed by the local press. Such as here: Narkotykowa inwazja. CBŚP przejęło trzykrotnie więcej środków odurzających niż przez cały ubiegły rok - rp.pl

To give you an idea of the scale of such activity, below is a brief rundown of busts that have been revealed over the past 30 days. Keep in mind that I am skipping over illegal cigarette production and smuggling, car theft rings, prostitution and more. In fact, organized crime is on the rise in Poland and just about everywhere in Europe, but as far as narcotics in Poland go, here is a snapshot:

• Only days ago Central Bureau of Investigation of the Police, (CBSP) announced they had dismantled an organized criminal group suspected of smuggling significant quantities of drugs from Spain to Poland and their subsequent distribution. Eleven persons were arrested, and a total of 12 suspects were charged, with the group all part of the same family—and the leader already serving a prison sentence for other crimes. Despite being locked up, police said he continued to direct criminal activities, and his wife is now charged with laundering drug money, while another family member was responsible for organizing recipients and coordinating the further sale of narcotics. Narcotic were regularly transported from Spain to Poland, from where they were primarily destined for the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships. Along the way officers seized “significant quantities of mephedrone, MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, LSD, and hashish.” They also seized firearms with ammunition, electronic scales, ziplock bags, cell phones, and other items that could constitute evidence.
• The CBSP announced July 17 that it had detained three individuals in Silesia suspected of a gang engaged in the production and distribution of illegal pharmaceuticals, including growth hormone medication and medications used to treat obesity, and anabolic steroids. Officers detained a woman and two men, aged 33 to 64. All are Polish citizens.
• On July 9 the CBSP announced it had detained eight individuals suspected of producing and distributing “significant quantiles of various types of drugs,” including narcotics and psychotropic substances in the Małopolska Voivodeship, “including in Skawina, Niepołomice, Wieliczka, and Gdów.” During searches of selected locations, officers discovered amphetamine, MDMA, mephedrone, methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine.
• On July 1, police noted the indictment of Patryk M., alias "Wielki Bu," and Adrian R., with Patrick M suspected of participating in an organized crime group “operating in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, other regions of Poland, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Spain between 2017 and 2018. The group was involved in the acquisition, production, and distribution of significant quantities of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine (including in liquid form), hashish, mephedrone, clephedrone, and ecstasy. Adrian R. was charged (along with Patrick M.) the burglary of an Audi Q7 passenger car in Gdansk.
• On June 26 the District Prosecutor's Office in Ostrów Wielkopolski filed an indictment with the District Court in Kalisz, concluding an investigation against the final 10 members of an organized criminal group, which trafficked significant amounts of drugs in Greater Poland, Lower Silesia, and Masovia. A 28-year-old resident of Ostrów Wielkopolski was charged with leading a criminal group, fraud, and money laundering. The remaining defendants were charged with participating in the group's activities. This was part of a “consolidated investigation conducted since 2021, a total of 142 individuals were indicted, and 103 others were subject to separate proceedings, with 33 key members of the group placed under preventive detention. The gang, alleged between 2019 and 2022, participated in the “acquisition and movement of a significant quantity of drugs, and then relocated them to the territory of the Republic of Poland. It was determined that some of the drugs were transported by members of the group using a gyroplane (aircraft) and collected at a landing site in a town near Ostrów Wielkopolski. Another group then introduced narcotics and psychotropic substances into the market, including amphetamine, MDMA, marijuana, 3 CMC, and other unidentified substances.” Prosecutors believe that the gang’s activities resulted in the sale of no less than 50 kilograms of amphetamines, 60 kilograms of marijuana, 70 kilograms of 3CMC, and more than three kilograms of cocaine. Police also seized some PLN 1,180,000, cash in foreign currencies, real estate, and cars, as compensation for damages and future penalties.
• Also on June 26, the CBSP announced that it had stopped a criminal group involved in wholesale drug trafficking, seized some 80 kg of various narcotics and psychotropic substances with black market value of nearly PLN 2 mln. Seven people aged 26 to 39 were detained—among those were six Polish citizens and one Ukrainian citizen. During the operation, officers seized cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, clephedrone, marijuana, and hashish, as well as more than PLN 180,000 in cash
• On June 25, the CBSP stated it had seized more than130 kilograms of clophedrone with a black market value exceeding PLN 5 mln. The drugs were discovered in the trunk of a car stopped for inspection in Włocławek. The 37-year-old driver was charged at the District Prosecutor's Office in Włocławek.

So yes, the future is unfortunately now. And despite what can only be considered impressive work by the CBSP… the widespread assumption is that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Yikes.

Preston Smith is a licensed investigator based in Gdansk, Poland. He can be reached at query@cddi.pl.

Photo of a weapon and money seized during an operation in Poland's Malopolska province, courtesy of the CBSP.