Angola sentences two Russians to 8 and 11 years for espionage and terrorism
via SeneNews6 min read
Two Russian nationals, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, have been sentenced to 8 and 11 years in prison respectively in Angola on charges including espionage and terrorism. Their arrests followed social unrest in July 2025, which included three days of riots between July 28 and 30, 2025, sparked by a taxi strike against rising fuel prices. These events resulted in 22 deaths, according to the Angolan Ministry of Interior. The prosecution accused the defendants of planning activities to destabilize Angola by "preparing a coup d'茅tat" and seeking to "capture national economic assets." They were also alleged to have intended to provide financial support to the opposition party Unita for the 2027 general elections. The two Russians denied any links to terrorist organizations, stating their activities in Angola were cultural and commercial. An investigation by All Eyes on Wagner and RFI after their August 2025 arrest suggested Angolan authorities believed them to be members of Africa Politology, described as a "nebulous Russian network" involved in influence operations and political consulting. In the same case, Carlos Tom茅, a sports journalist for Angolan public television, received a two-year suspended sentence, while Francisco de Oliveira, secretary general of the youth branch of the main opposition party Unita, was acquitted. The Russian embassy has not yet responded to AFP's inquiries.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
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