Inside the alleged Russian operation to trigger anti-government protests in Angola. 7 hours ago. Maria Jevstafjeva,BBC Global Disinformation Unit,. Ilya Barabanov & Investigations Team,BBC Russian and. Leandro Prazeres,BBC Brasil. Serviço de Investigação Criminal de Angola. Two Russians are due to go on trial in Angola accused of stirring up anti-government protests, conducting a campaign of disinformation, and attempting to interfere in next year’s presidential election.. Arrested last August, political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov are facing 11 charges, including terrorism, espionage and influence peddling.. The BBC has obtained a copy of the indictment that includes charges relating to an alleged operation aimed at changing the political course of Angola.. The Russians’ lawyers challenge the indictment on the grounds that it lacks “concrete and objective facts”.. According to the prosecution, the Russians acted on behalf of Africa Politology, a shadowy network of operatives and intelligence officers in Africa that emerged from the now-defunct Wagner Group, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died in 2023 in a plane crash.. 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.. The Russians’ defence team says they are not connected to Africa Politology or the Wagner Group, were not acting on behalf of the Russian state, and were instead cooperating to create a cultural “Russian House” in Luanda.. Angola is a top African oil producer and diamond exporter. Its natural resources and strategic position make it a country of continued interest for Moscow. But while ties date back to the Cold War, Angola has been gradually drifting away from Russia’s sphere of influence.. Getty Images. Russian diamond mining company Alrosa and bank VTB were forced to leave Angola due to international sanctions imposed because of the Ukraine war.. Angolan President João Lourenço has pivoted towards the West, and has not met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin since 2019.. The Russian operatives in Africa were breaking new ground by moving into Angola, it is claimed.. “This is indicative of Russian anxiety of the direction of travel of Angola under the Lourenço administration,” says Alex Vines, Africa programme director at think-tank European Council on Foreign Relations.. “There’s clearly an element of Russian disinformation to try and build up more sympathy towards the Russian Federation.”. Alongside the Russians, two Angolans will also face trial for their alleged part in the Russian-linked influence operation.. The prosecution alleges the Russians hired sports journalist Amor Carlos Tomé and political activist Francisco Oliveira to conduct their activities in the country.. They are facing nine and five charges respectively, including terrorism, espionage, and influence peddling.. The legal team representing the Angolan defendants
