Russians in Angola were jailed for espionage and terrorism

A court in Angola has convicted two Russian citizens—Lev Lakshanov and Igor Ratchin—on charges of terrorism and espionage. One of them will serve 8 years in prison, and the other 11 years. According to the investigation, the Russians were accused of plotting a coup d’état and supporting the organization of riots in Angola last year.

Lev Lakshanov and Igor Ratchin denied the charges. They claimed they had come to the country for “cultural and business purposes” and had no intention of interfering in Angola’s internal politics.

What is known about the case

The prosecutor’s office alleged that the Russians attempted to influence the upcoming presidential elections in Angola, scheduled for 2027. According to investigators, they may have been planning to finance the country’s largest opposition force—the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). Law enforcement officials also stated that the possibility of forcibly changing the leadership of the ruling party—the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA)—was being considered.

This party has been in power in the country since 1975, when Angola gained independence from Portugal.

Links to Russian Entities

Prosecutors also stated that Lakshanov and Ratchin may be linked to the Africa Politology network, which is associated with Russian disinformation and propaganda activities on the African continent. According to a joint investigation by several international media outlets, including Forbidden Stories, following the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group, in 2023, this network may have come under the control of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

The Wagner Group itself began to be reorganized following the elimination of its leadership. Some of its activities in Africa are linked to the so-called “African Corps,” which has been integrated into the Russian armed forces.

The Russians denied the charges

During the trial, the defendants denied the charges brought against them. They insisted that their activities in Angola were not related to political interference or the preparation of violent acts. However, the court sided with the prosecution and found them guilty.

The case attracted attention due to its possible connection to the broader activities of Russian influence networks in Africa, where Moscow has been actively seeking to strengthen its position in recent years through political, military, and information projects. The Guardian reported on the verdict.

As a reminder, Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, informed its customers that it would cease servicing foreign currency and multicurrency cards issued by the international payment system Visa as of September 1, 2026.

On July 23, the European Union published Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1843, which expanded the sanctions imposed pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 269/2014 in response to Russia’s actions undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine.