Africa’s Angola Jails 2 Russian Spies on Espionage, Terrorism Charges

A court in the Angolan capital of Luanda in central Africa has jailed two Russian men on charges ranging from espionage to terrorism on Tuesday evening local time.

The BBC identified the two as political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov, who were jailed for 11 and 8 years respectively.

Lakshtanov said he had lived in Angola for over four decades, while Ratchin claimed to be a businessman who came to Angola to establish a Russian cultural center, according to local outlet Novo Jornal, citing the two’s previous comments in court.

The two denied the charges and claimed they were merely seeking to establish a Russian cultural center.

Angola, a former Portuguese colony, gained independence in 1975. Its ruling party, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), received military aid from the Soviet Union and direct military support from Cuba during the country’s civil war.

Following the end of the Cold War, the MPLA abandoned Marxist-Leninist ideology and shifted toward closer ties with the West.

Guilty on 4 charges

The two’s lawyer said they were found guilty of criminal association, espionage, terrorism and illegal retention of currency – which amounted to 4 out of the 11 charges brought against them.

The two were arrested in August 2025 for inciting protests, attempting to influence local elections, and disinformation, according to the BBC.

The court’s indictment accused the two of being involved in a political influence operation conducted through Africa Politology, a group that Angolan authorities described as a successor to Russia’s private military company (PMC) Wagner.

Authorities said the group aimed to influence the country’s 2027 presidential election by spreading anti-Western propaganda, accusing Ratchin and Lakshtanov of paying local journalists and experts more than $24,000 to promote pro-Russian and anti-government narratives.

They also accused the two of helping stage deadly protests in 2025 and establishing contacts with local political figures.

According to Novo Jornal, the two admitted the contacts but argued that they do not constitute illegal activities.

Ratchin also argued his payments were made for services provided.

The BBC reported that the pair’s lawyers attempted to secure their extradition to Russia, though it remains unclear whether the request was approved. The outlet said it did not receive a response from the Russian Embassy in Angola to its request for comment.

Two Angolans – sports journalist Amor Carlos Tomé and political activist Francisco Oliveira – were also charged alongside the two Russians. Tomé received a two-year suspended sentence, while Oliveira was acquitted.

Critics question trial’s neutrality

According to the BBC, local opposition claimed the trial was politically charged.

Local activists are reportedly opposed to the court’s framing of the protests as inorganic, while the defense argued that the charges are based on assumptions rather than concrete information.

The BBC said a minor incident also took place at an initial hearing, when a prosecutor refused to read the indictment aloud by arguing that it wasn’t necessary as the accused were supposedly aware of their charges. The defense contested, but the prosecutor refused to yield.

Novo Jornal said the court also rejected calls to bring in politicians who were named as witnesses, calling the move unnecessary.

Russia’s African campaign

Russia has long sought to capitalize on anti-colonial sentiment across Africa to advance pro-Russian narratives. It has also backed its interests in several conflicts through state-backed private military companies, including in Mali and the Central African Republic.

In June, Ukraine said Russia has been quietly expanding a network of cultural and educational centers across Africa known as “Russian Houses” as part of its long-term influence campaign on the continent.

According to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR), Russia plans to open so-called “Russian Houses” in at least eight African countries, including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Mozambique, Mali, Senegal, Liberia and Sao Tome and Principe.

The agency said Russia is also enticing African students and workers to relocate to Russia through the program, but argued that past examples have shown that some were unwittingly lured into fighting on the front lines.

Between January 2023 and September 2025, over 1,400 African nationals were estimated to have been recruited by Moscow to fight in Ukraine. The number has likely increased since then amid Russia’s manpower shortage in Ukraine.