Summary
- An Angolan court has sentenced two Russian men, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, to eight and 11 years in prison respectively after convicting them of terrorism and espionage charges.
- Prosecutors linked Lakshtanov and Ratchin to Africa Politology, a Russian disinformation network formerly tied to the Wagner mercenary group and now managed by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
- Two Angolan co-defendants were tried alongside the Russians, resulting in a two-year suspended sentence for a local journalist and an acquittal for an opposition youth leader.
An Angolan court has sentenced two Russian men, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, to eight and 11 years in prison respectively after convicting them of terrorism and espionage charges.
Prosecutors alleged that the pair planned a coup and helped organise violent fuel price demonstrations in July 2025, which resulted in 22 deaths and more than 1,600 arrests.
The court heard that the men sought to manipulate upcoming presidential elections by funding the main opposition party, UNITA, or instigating a leadership change within the ruling MPLA party.
Prosecutors linked Lakshtanov and Ratchin to Africa Politology, a Russian disinformation network formerly tied to the Wagner mercenary group and now managed by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
Two Angolan co-defendants were tried alongside the Russians, resulting in a two-year suspended sentence for a local journalist and an acquittal for an opposition youth leader.
Both Russian nationals denied the allegations, claiming their presence in Angola was purely for business and cultural activities, and remain in detention while appealing against their sentences.
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