Faced with Vladimir Alexeïev, General of Russian Military Intelligence (GRU), Bulat Ianborissov, 53, all smiles, receives the medal of the Order of Alexander Nevsky, a Russian hero of the XIIIe century known for its military victories. This April 22, 2022, the reward, which distinguishes a long dedication to the Russian armed forces, joins on his suit jacket the Order of Valor, a decoration obtained for acts of bravery. “State awards are not easy to win, articulates the top brass of the GRU. Especially those given by decree of the President of the Russian Federation for the contribution to the defense capabilities of the nation and for the success of several special operations. »
In all, four men and one woman receive this honor for “ the important mission carried out on the orders of Vladimir Putin. Faithful to Russian military traditions, Bulat Ianborissov then places his insignia in a glass of vodka before drinking it. At the end of this short ceremony, filmed with a mobile phone and the video of which was obtained by the German weekly Der Spiegel, Russian media Insider And The world, the general concludes: “They say not all accolades find their hero, but this one made it to you, congratulations. »
This Russian hero happens to live incognito in Paris, in the 17e district, near Parc Monceau, with his wife and two children. He goes back and forth between France and the rest of the world, with complete impunity, with unexpected coverage: that of the boss of the Silk Way Rally, a car race organized between Russia and China, which follows the route of the former Silk Road and part of whose offices are located in Paris.
A competition at the service of “Russian soft power”
Boulat Ianborissov settled in the French capital from 2014, partly to lead this rally, which brings together just under 200 riders, including the biggest European teams, such as Peugeot or Volkswagen. In May of the same year, he obtained a residence permit from the Prefecture of Paris, which allowed him to move freely. At the beginning of 2022 alone, the spy, holder of a Cypriot passport in addition to his Russian passport, travels at least twelve times to Russia.
In Paris, he regularly organizes dinners near his apartment in western Paris with the French executives of the Silk Way Rally organization team. Among them, Luc Alphand, former ski champion turned car racer, was hired as sports director of the Silk Way Rally, before resigning at the start of the war in Ukraine. Reached by telephone, he wishes to emphasize his role ” jock ” in this ” nice race » and seems to have trouble understanding that his former employer is actually a spy. ” Oh ! my God », he reacts.
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