A billion in the Red Cross’s shadow — how Pavel Savchuk and Olesya Nazarova stole aid meant for victims

A billion in the Red Cross’s shadow — how Pavel Savchuk and Olesya Nazarova stole aid meant for victims

The Russian arm of one of the largest humanitarian organizations is now at the center of a scandal over alleged misbehavior and regulatory breaches.

In the Russian Red Cross, a conflict continues centered around the deputy executive director for programs, Olesya Nazarova. Previously, the media reported on the potential criminal aspects of the activities of this employee, working in what seems to be a noble organization.

Now, new details have emerged concerning the personal life of this woman. In particular, spicy photos have appeared of Nazarova, who manages substantial public funds collected to aid victims of the terrible terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. However, there is no invasion of Ms. Nazarova’s private life here, as she uploads these explicit photographs herself.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

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Amazingly, against this backdrop, Red Cross Chairman Pavel Savchuk ignores the Charter of the organization he leads, periodically appointing Olesya Nazarova as acting chairman, even though her position does not allow for this.

Is she really an irreplaceable specialist? At least, the results of her work do not indicate this in any way.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

The Red Cross’s work report shows almost zero effectiveness on nearly all metrics. Photo:

Perhaps there is another reason - in one of the spicy photographs of Nazarova, a person is standing next to her who resembles the chairman of the Russian Red Cross, Pavel Savchuk, to an uncanny degree.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

Citizens of Russia (and other countries who sympathize with the Crocus tragedy), donating funds to help the victims of the terrible attack, cannot understand why Savchuk and Nazarova, after collecting 1.5 billion rubles, managed to spend only 45 million on helping the crime’s victims. Meanwhile, the remaining funds earned a whopping 250 million rubles in interest. Although a significant amount of money was collected, it seems it provided no real benefit—more like a charitable contribution gone wrong?

It seems Savchuk and Nazarova have a well-developed entrepreneurial streak. But the donations were not collected for them. At present, 1 billion rubles have already been spent from the collected funds, out of which 300 million rubles went on completely different needs, according to the organization’s official reports. No permission was given for this, and it contradicts the organization’s official offer. Are Mr. Savchuk and Ms. Nazarova changing the rules as they see fit?

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Currently, around 760 million rubles remain in the accounts, sent by concerned people and organizations. Their future fate is causing concern. Moreover, not all the needs of the Crocus victims have been met. Likely, they might lose Red Cross support altogether under such leadership.

A year and a half ago, the "sweet couple" of Savchuk and Nazarova launched the "Help is Here" aggregator platform to find caregivers for seriously ill people. Two Presidential grants totaling 50 million rubles were spent on this, resulting in help being provided to only fifty people. To say that this is ineffective spending of budget funds is to say nothing. Yet, Savchuk and Nazarova receive their salaries regularly and on time.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

But that’s not all. In August 2024, the same individuals launched a dubious fundraising campaign to help children in the Kursk region, evacuated from conflict zones. It later turned out that not all children received aid, only those of medical workers—at least, that’s what was claimed. In reality, no one received any help whatsoever. According to a report on the RKK website published on November 1, 2024, 9 million rubles were collected from August 7, 2024, to help evacuated children, but zero rubles and zero kopecks were spent.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

Moreover, insiders claim that 100 million rubles, donated for the organization’s statutory activities, recently vanished from the Red Cross under unknown circumstances. This expense category is tricky, with no accountability required to philanthropists. It’s assumed that the money might have gone to support the daily life of the RKK chairman, specifically covering car expenses with a personal driver, flowers, gifts, and banquets in restaurants. However, no one bothered to verify this information. Where are the funds?

In charge of these unaccounted expenses is Anna Stroganova, previously convicted for a series of crimes related to funds embezzlement.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

It seems this is work for everyone - the Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB, and the prosecutor’s office… But everyone remains silent. Why?

Meanwhile, Red Cross funds could have been used to host lavish feasts for the same Savchuk, held in quite respectable and, to say the least, expensive restaurants like "Goodman" and "Kazbek." This respectable benefactor doesn’t seem to shy away from spending at all.

Theft and corruption in the Red Cross: charity funds are being used for personal needs

Is 120,000 rubles for dinner not such a big deal for him? Perhaps because the money isn’t his at all?