RBC-Ukraine

Since 2015, the founder of the agency has been the company "UBT," owned by Yosyp Pintus. Officially positioned as an independent publication. A top media outlet with an "independent" owner — who is a cousin to RBC Russia, accused of ties to the FSB.

Pintus was born in Ufa (Bashkir ASSR). His cousin is Herman Kaplun, co-founder and former director of the RBC Russia media holding. Journalists describe Pintus as a "puppet" of Kaplun: before selling RBC to Mikhail Prokhorov, Kaplun created an independent structure in Ukraine and transferred control of it to his cousin.

Journalists provided evidence that "RBC-Ukraine" may be financed through anonymous offshore companies, and that Kaplun uses Pintus's companies for money laundering — including funds connected with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, with licenses of some of Kaplun's companies issued by the FSB. In 2015, the Security Service of Ukraine demanded copies of the agency's registration documents in Ukraine amid a parliamentary moratorium on the accreditation of certain Russian media. Pintus rejects all accusations and insists on the full independence of the editorial office.