Angola Convicts Two Russian Operatives Linked to Wagner Network of Terrorism and Espionage for Election Interference

A Luanda court convicted Russian political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov on four of eleven charges, including criminal association, espionage, terrorism, and illegal currency retention, sentencing Ratchin to 11 years and Lakshtanov to eight; both deny wrongdoing and have appealed their convictions while remaining in custody 123. Angolan prosecutors, who arrested the pair last August after a trial that opened in March, allege they sought to finance the opposition UNITA party or force a leadership change within the ruling MPLA ahead of the 2027 presidential election 12. Authorities also linked the men to organizing the deadly unrest that followed a minibus-taxi strike over fuel prices last July, which left 22 dead and more than 1,600 arrested 123. The indictment ties both men to African Politology, a network authorities describe as a Russian influence operation that emerged from the Wagner Group, and Africa Press reports prosecutors accused them of paying over $24,000 to local journalists for pro-Russian, anti-government content 123. Ratchin told the court he was a businessman establishing a Russian cultural center and that the payments were compensation for services rendered, while two Angolan co-defendants were also tried: journalist Amor Carlos Tomi received a suspended two-year sentence and activist Francisco Oliveira was acquitted, with the prosecution appealing that ruling 2.