俄羅斯中間商利用加密貨幣繞過制裁，助長武器零件影子貿易 - Benzinga

Russian Smuggler Exploits Tether to Circumvent Western Sanctions, Fueling War Efforts

俄羅斯走私者利用 Tether 規避西方制裁，助長戰爭努力

Amidst escalating Western sanctions targeting Russia's war machine, a self-proclaimed Russian smuggler, Andrey Zverev, has emerged as a key facilitator in the procurement of high-tech equipment and weapons parts for Russian companies. Zverev's clandestine operations have relied heavily on Tether USDT/USD, a popular cryptocurrency, as a means to bypass the sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.

在西方針對俄羅斯戰爭機器的製裁不斷升級的背景下，自稱俄羅斯走私犯的安德烈·茲維列夫（Andrey Zverev）已成為俄羅斯公司採購高科技設備和武器零件的關鍵推動者。 Zverev 的秘密行動嚴重依賴 Tether USDT/USD（一種流行的加密貨幣）作為繞過美國及其盟友實施制裁的手段。

According to a bombshell report by The Wall Street Journal, Zverev, acting as a middleman for Russian companies, has been using Tether to execute transactions for the purchase of sensitive equipment and components. In one notable instance, Zverev transferred millions of dollars from Kalashnikov Concern, Russia's largest small-arms manufacturer, to an electronics distributor in Hong Kong via Tether.

根據《華爾街日報》報道，Zverev 作為俄羅斯公司的中間人，一直在使用 Tether 執行購買敏感設備和零件的交易。在一個值得注意的例子中，茲維列夫透過 Tether 將數百萬美元從俄羅斯最大的小型武器製造商卡拉什尼科夫康採恩轉移到香港的電子產品分銷商。

Zverev's Telegram communications reveal that he has been employing Tether to convert rubles into cryptocurrency, enabling Russian companies to pay foreign suppliers in countries such as China and the Middle East. This illicit trade has allowed sanctioned Russian entities to continue their operations despite the severe penalties imposed on them.

Zverev 的 Telegram 通訊顯示，他一直在使用 Tether 將盧布兌換成加密貨幣，使俄羅斯公司能夠向中國和中東等國家的外國供應商付款。這種非法貿易使得受制裁的俄羅斯實體儘管受到嚴厲處罰，但仍能繼續經營。

The U.S. Treasury Department, recognizing the threat posed by Zverev and his Tether-based operations, has been actively pushing for legislation that would empower it to block transactions in U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoins like Tether. The department recently blacklisted a Moscow-based company that utilized Tether-based payments.

美國財政部認識到 Zverev 及其基於 Tether 的業務構成的威脅，一直在積極推動立法，授權其阻止 Tether 等以美元計價的穩定幣交易。該部門最近將一家總部位於莫斯科的公司列入黑名單，該公司使用基於 Tether 的支付方式。

In a forceful statement, Brian Nelson, Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, emphasized the critical nature of the situation: "Russia is increasingly turning to alternative payment mechanisms to circumvent U.S. sanctions and continue to fund its war against Ukraine."

財政部負責恐怖主義和金融情報的副部長布萊恩·納爾遜在一份強有力的聲明中強調了局勢的嚴重性：「俄羅斯越來越多地轉向替代支付機制，以規避美國的製裁，並繼續為其針對烏克蘭的戰爭提供資金。”

The use of cryptocurrencies as a tool to evade sanctions and finance illicit activities is a growing concern. North Korea, for instance, has been engaged in a covert campaign to steal billions of dollars in crypto assets to finance its nuclear weapons program.

使用加密貨幣作為逃避制裁和資助非法活動的工具越來越引起人們的注意。例如，北韓一直在進行秘密行動，竊取數十億美元的加密資產，為其核武計畫提供資金。

In response to these alarming developments, the United Nations has called for stricter regulations on cryptocurrency transactions, recognizing the urgent need to combat the misuse of cryptocurrencies for nefarious purposes.

為了應對這些令人震驚的事態發展，聯合國呼籲對加密貨幣交易實施更嚴格的監管，並認識到迫切需要打擊出於邪惡目的而濫用加密貨幣的行為。

Meanwhile, Russia has made concerted efforts to position itself as a prominent player in the global cryptocurrency market. The country has unveiled plans to create a new global currency, establish specialized institutions for cryptocurrency mining, and facilitate cross-border cryptocurrency transactions.

同時，俄羅斯齊心協力將自己定位為全球加密貨幣市場的重要參與者。該國公佈了創建新的全球貨幣、建立專門機構進行加密貨幣挖礦並促進跨境加密貨幣交易的計劃。

However, the use of cryptocurrencies for illicit activities has cast a shadow over the industry's reputation. Ethereum co-creator Vitalik Buterin has proposed the use of "privacy pools" to enhance transparency and accountability in the cryptocurrency market, weeding out unscrupulous crypto traders.

然而，使用加密貨幣進行非法活動給該行業的聲譽蒙上了陰影。以太坊聯合創始人 Vitalik Buterin 提議使用「隱私池」來提高加密貨幣市場的透明度和問責制，淘汰不道德的加密貨幣交易者。

As the West continues to ratchet up sanctions against Russia, Zverev and his Tether-based smuggling network serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing the cryptocurrency industry. Law enforcement agencies and policymakers must remain vigilant in their efforts to combat the misuse of cryptocurrencies and ensure that these digital assets are not used to undermine sanctions and support illicit activities.

隨著西方繼續加強對俄羅斯的製裁力度，茲維列夫和他的基於 Tether 的走私網絡清楚地提醒人們加密貨幣產業面臨的挑戰。執法機構和政策制定者必須保持警惕，努力打擊加密貨幣的濫用，並確保這些數位資產不會被用來破壞制裁和支持非法活動。