Two Russians Handed Down Jail Terms For Terrorism And Spying in Angola

Two Russians have been found guilty of terrorism and spying by a court in Angola’s capital, Luanda.
Political consultant Igor Ratchin was sentenced to 11 years in prison and translator Lev Lakshtanov was given eight years. They had denied the charges.
They were arrested last August over accusations of stirring up anti-government protests, conducting a campaign of disinformation and attempting to interfere in next year’s presidential election.
The Russians’ lawyers had previously requested their extradition to Russia under bilateral co-operation agreements. The BBC has not been able to establish whether the court approved that request.
In the indictment, seen by the BBC, the authorities alleged that Ratchin and Lakshtanov were involved in a political influence operation linked to Africa Politology, which the Angolan authorities described as a Russian political network that emerged from the now-defunct Wagner mercenary group.
Prosecutors further alleged Africa Politology sought to spread anti-Western narratives, cultivate political contacts and influence politics in Angola ahead of next year’s presidential elections.
The defendants had denied any connection to Wagner or the Russian state, saying they were working on plans to establish a Russian cultural centre in Luanda.
Political operatives linked to Wagner have been active across Africa for more than a decade, in particular in the Central African Republic, Mali and Madagascar.