A court in Angola has found two Russian nationals, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, guilty of terrorism and spying charges. Lakshtanov received an eight-year sentence while Ratchin was sentenced to 11 years. Both men maintained their innocence throughout proceedings, asserting they were in the country engaged in cultural and business endeavors.
Prosecutors alleged that the men sought to interfere in Angola’s upcoming presidential elections through various means, including potential financial support to the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) or attempts to engineer leadership changes within the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). The court proceedings connected the defendants to Africa Politology, described as a Russian disinformation and propaganda operation with ties to the Wagner mercenary group. This organization was said to have come under the control of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service following Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death in 2023.
The convictions occurred amid a broader expansion of Russian military and security operations across the African continent. Russia has established significant presence in multiple nations, including the Central African Republic, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, and Sudan, primarily through its Africa Corps military entity and related security arrangements.
Two Angolan co-defendants were also tried in the case. Carlos Tomé, a sports journalist, received a two-year suspended sentence, while Francisco de Oliveira, secretary-general of UNITA’s youth wing, was acquitted. Prosecutors have filed appeals against the sentences, and both Russian defendants have similarly appealed their convictions. Under current detention procedures, they will remain incarcerated pending resolution of their appeals.
Angola’s historical relationship with Russia dates to the Cold War era, when Soviet and Cuban support backed the MPLA during the country’s civil war. However, current President João Lourenço, who assumed office in 2017, has pursued strengthened ties with the United States and European nations. The Russian embassy in Angola has not provided comment on the convictions.
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