Angolan authorities are preparing to try two Russian nationals accused of running a covert influence operation aimed at destabilising the country ahead of next year’s presidential election.
According to news reports monitored here on Tuesday, Russian political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov, who were arrested in August 2025, face 11 charges including terrorism, espionage and influence peddling.
Prosecutors allege that the two worked to shift Angola’s political direction before the southwest African country’s presidential poll set for 2027. Their lawyers deny the charges, saying the case lacks “concrete and objective facts.”
Prosecutors claim the pair acted on behalf of Africa Politology, a network said to have emerged from the Wagner Group after the death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in 2023.
Wagner‑linked political operatives have been active across Africa for years but Angola –an oil‑rich state long courted by Moscow – has not previously been a major focus.
Analysts say the alleged operation suggests concern in Moscow over President João Lourenço’s shift towards Western partners and the departure of Russian firms such as Alrosa and VTB under Ukraine‑related sanctions.
Two Angolans – sports journalist Amor Carlos Tomé and political activist Francisco Oliveira – will also stand trial.
Prosecutors say they were hired to help disseminate propaganda, gather political intelligence and connect the Russians with influential figures. Their lawyers say the accusations are speculative.
According to the indictment, the first group of Russian operatives arrived in Luanda in 2024 under the pretext of opening a cultural centre.
Prosecutors say that between 2024 and 2025 the defendants paid more than $24,000 to journalists and commentators to publish disinformation aimed at “provoking political change.”
Cited examples include posts on a Facebook page mimicking the news site Angola 24 Horas, warning that Angola risked being drawn into the Ukraine war and articles attacking the US‑backed Lobito Corridor rail project.
One article asked whether Angola had “signed a pact with the Devil” by joining the initiative.
JN/APA