The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on a Russian developer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) known as OKO Design Bureau. This developer had been soliciting donations in cryptocurrency on Telegram. OFAC identified three crypto addresses linked to the firm based in Saint Petersburg in Russia:

• Bitcoin (BTC): 13fhnkmpBBWXUQucJd6efWvXdEj78DKavk.
• Ethereum (ETH) and Tether (USDT): 0x19F8f2B0915Daa12a3f5C9CF01dF9E24D53794F7.
• TRON (TRX) and Tether (USDT): TFdTr9C3BqQrzKBXqSxJfAZFTh8UwBAfSg.

Chainalysis, a blockchain forensics firm, revealed that these crypto addresses were associated with OKO Design Bureau's activities on Telegram, showcasing detailed descriptions and videos of their operations, including collaboration with the Russian Ministry of Defense and the deployment of UAVs against Ukraine.

Despite their efforts to solicit crypto donations, OKO Design Bureau's fundraising through Telegram was reportedly not very successful, with total collections amounting to less than $1,000. However, the firm's activities align with a broader trend of Russian militia groups seeking financial support through public appeals for cryptocurrency donations while sharing information about their military operations.

Chainalysis also highlighted that more than 50 volunteer groups had engaged in crowdfunding efforts for Russian military acquisitions, propaganda dissemination, and misinformation campaigns, receiving approximately $2.2 million in donations by July 2022. The current status of these fundraising activities is unclear, as the analysts note that the situation may have evolved since then.