Igor Danchenko
Igor Danchenko (born c. 1978) is a Russian-born analyst and resident of Virginia, United States, best known for compiling the majority of the raw intelligence that formed the basis of the Steele dossier, a 2016 collection of unverified reports alleging ties between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russian election interference efforts.[1][2] Danchenko, who studied at Perm State University in Russia before obtaining degrees from the University of Louisville and Georgetown University, worked in various analytical roles, including at think tanks and as a political risk consultant focused on Eurasia.[3] His contributions to the dossier, prepared by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele for opponents of Trump's campaign, involved gathering information from a network of contacts, though much of it later proved unsubstantiated or fabricated by sources, as revealed in subsequent investigations.[4] In 2021, as part of Special Counsel John Durham's probe into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation, Danchenko was indicted on five counts of making false statements to the FBI regarding his dossier sources, including claims about conversations with a Clinton campaign official and a Belarusian businessman that prosecutors argued never occurred or were misrepresented.[2][5] He was acquitted by a federal jury in October 2022 on all counts after a trial that highlighted discrepancies in FBI handling of his information but failed to convince jurors of willful deception.[6][7] Danchenko also served as a paid confidential human source for the FBI from 2017 to 2020, providing unrelated intelligence on Russian matters.[8]Early Life and Education
Upbringing in Russia
Igor Danchenko was born in 1978 in the Soviet Union and grew up in Perm, an industrial city in Perm Oblast, Russia, situated on the outskirts of the Ural Mountains and known for heavy industry and cultural institutions like the Perm Ballet.[9] [10] From a young age, Danchenko displayed a Western orientation, which manifested in his education and early international exposure.[9] He attended Specialized English Language School No. 7 in Perm, graduating from high school there in 1996, which facilitated his proficiency in English and interest in global affairs.[11] Following graduation, Danchenko participated in a one-year exchange student program in Louisiana, United States, providing his first direct experience outside the Soviet sphere and reinforcing his anglophone skills.[11] Limited public details exist on his family background, though his mother remained in Russia as of 2024.[10] These early experiences in Perm shaped his transition from a Soviet-era upbringing to pursuits involving international relations and analysis.[3]Academic Qualifications
Danchenko received his undergraduate education at Perm State University in Russia, graduating with a law degree prior to relocating to the United States in the early 2000s.[9][12] In the U.S., he enrolled at the University of Louisville, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in political science, focusing on comparative politics, from 2003 to 2005.[9][13] Subsequently, while working as a research assistant at the Brookings Institution, Danchenko obtained a second master's degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, specifically through the Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES), completing a thesis on medium-sized business in Russia and earning the Master of Arts between 2006 and 2009.[14][13]Professional Career
Initial Roles in Russia and Europe
Danchenko commenced his professional career in Russia following his education in Perm, engaging in roles within the oil, legal, and construction sectors from 1997 to 2003.[15] These positions included work in the energy industry, reflecting his early focus on Russia's resource-driven economy.[10] A portion of this early experience extended to Iran, where he served as an attorney in the energy sector for approximately two years during this period.[10] Such international exposure in oil and gas operations provided foundational knowledge in Eurasian business risks, which later informed his analytical work.[16] In Europe, Danchenko's initial professional involvement centered on contractual business intelligence for Orbis Business Intelligence, a London-based firm founded by Christopher Steele.[16] He was retained as a contractor in 2011 specifically for assessments of Russian and Eurasian geopolitical and business risks.[16] This engagement built on prior informal collaborations with the firm, spanning over a decade by 2016, involving Kremlinology and energy-sector analysis conducted across Russia and Europe.[10]U.S.-Based Positions and Think Tanks
![Title page of Vladimir Putin's PhD thesis, subject of Danchenko's Brookings research][float-right]Igor Danchenko served as a senior research analyst in the Brookings Institution's Foreign Policy Studies program from August 2005 to 2010, focusing on Russian and Eurasian geopolitical matters.[17][15] In this role, he conducted open-source intelligence analysis and contributed to scholarly events and publications on Russian leadership and energy policy.[12] A key contribution during his tenure was his investigation into the authorship and originality of Vladimir Putin's 1997 doctoral dissertation titled The Strategic Planning of Regional Resources Under the Formation of Market Relations. On March 30, 2006, Danchenko presented findings at a Brookings event, demonstrating that over half of the thesis comprised plagiarized content from Russian and American sources, with minimal original analysis attributable to Putin.[18] This work, co-researched with economist Clifford Gaddy, highlighted systemic issues in Russian academic and political credentials.[12] Danchenko also co-authored sections on Russia's energy policy evolution from 1992 to 2005, emphasizing state control and resource strategies in Brookings reports.[19] Following his departure from Brookings, he maintained U.S. residency in Virginia and pursued independent analytical work, including political risk assessments across Eurasia, though formal think tank positions post-2010 are not prominently recorded in available records. In 2016, he was affiliated with a Washington, D.C.-based think tank while serving as a primary sub-source for Christopher Steele's research.[20]