AnewZ has launched a new investigations unit with the premiere of The Oligarch’s Design, a long-form documentary marking the debut of AnewZ Investigations, its cross-border reporting initiative.

The film examines how power and influence can be constructed outside formal political systems, focusing on the role of financial networks, philanthropy and carefully shaped public narratives. It is the first instalment in a new investigative documentary series produced by AnewZ.

At the centre of the documentary is the story of Ruben Vardanyan, tracing his journey from Moscow’s financial elite to a political role within an unrecognised separatist administration in 2022.

The investigation draws on open-source material and builds on earlier international reporting, including findings linked to the so-called Troika Laundromat, a network of offshore companies used to move billions of dollars through the global financial system.

Filmed in Italy, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the United States, Armenia, Israel, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, the documentary brings together analysis from a range of experts, offering multiple perspectives on the mechanisms of influence explored in the film.

Rufat Hamzayev, executive director of AnewZ,  described The Oligarch’s Design as the result of an extensive international investigative effort and said work on the documentary had begun in January. 

“Nearly 100 people were involved in the preparation of the project, including journalists, producers and legal advisers,” he noted. “From the outset, our goal was to avoid a one-sided interpretation and to produce a documentary that reflects AnewZ’s mission of neutral, balanced journalism.”

AnewZ editor-in-chief Guy Shone said editorial restraint was a deliberate and defining choice.

“The film presents evidence and context, but avoids conclusions delivered through narration,” he said. “We deliberately leave space for the audience to assess the material. This approach reflects the standards we expect for investigative work at AnewZ.”

The next film in the series, The Shadow Trade, is due to premiere soon.

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