© Unplash Russian spies sought access to drone production facilities.
In Latvia, in the last couple of weeks, law enforcement authorities have apprehended a minimum of three individuals linked to the “Antifascists of the Baltics” group. This group established a web of informants who supplied Russian intelligence agencies with details concerning the transit of military hardware, Ukrainians, and those who support Ukraine in Latvia. The Russian network also prepared lists of individuals targeted for elimination, reports the Latvian broadcaster LSM TV3 program Nekā personīga.
It is mentioned that the detentions are based upon documentation secured by the Dossier Center, an entity founded by former Russian tycoon and Kremlin detractor Mikhail Khodorkovsky. This entity shared the documents with the TV3 program Nekā personīga.
The information suggests that the “Antifascists of the Baltics” attempted to penetrate drone manufacturing sites in Latvia, gathered intelligence about the movement of military vehicles, and also regarding individuals who donate to Ukraine or display Ukrainian emblems.
“For instance, a shop security employee named Igor Andreev regularly informed Russian intelligence services about patrons displaying Ukrainian symbols and their vehicle registration numbers, and transmitted to Russia the private information of individuals he accessed at his job. The Nekā personīga production crew encountered this individual at his workplace in Ziepniekkalns… Andreev assaulted reporters, damaged a camera, and fled, but he was swiftly apprehended by the police, and the court imposed a restraining order – arrest,” the journalists state.
As conveyed to LETA earlier by the Latvian State Security Service (SSS), the group started to broaden and synchronize actions against Latvia’s national security via dedicated Telegram groups. The SSS launched legal proceedings against this group back in November 2022.
Two members of the group, Tatyana Andriets and Aleksandr Zhgun, are presently facing trial in Latvia. The remaining individuals, Sergei Vasiliev, Viktoriya Matule, Roman Samul, and Stanislav Bukains, have escaped to Russia or Belarus.
Prosecutor Zane Łódźyna highlighted in the program Nekā personīga that
The group’s primary intention was to amass as many individuals with hostile sentiments toward Latvia as feasible in order to, upon awaiting the opportune moment, instigate disturbances within the nation and destabilize the situation.
As a reminder, Latvia directed 841 Russian nationals to depart the country after they were unable to validate their competence in the Latvian language or successfully complete a compulsory security evaluation.