Two Russians Sentenced in Angola for Terrorist Campaign

Mon Sep 14 2026 10:22:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Angolan court hands 11‑year and 8‑year sentences to two Russians charged with terrorism and spying amid alleged Russian disinformation drive.

A Luanda court convicted political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov for terrorism, spying and election interference linked to the Africa Politology network, a faction of the former Wagner mercenary group. Ratchin received 11 years and Lakshtanov 8 years, while Angolan co‑accused Amor Carlos Tomé got a two‑year suspended sentence and fellow activist Francisco Oliveira was acquitted. Prosecutors accused the pair of funding pro‑Russian media, organising anti‑government protests and influencing Angola’s upcoming presidential elections, though the defendants denied any ties to the Russian state. The trial sparked debate about evidence admissibility and the role of Russian intelligence in Africa. Meanwhile, appeals are pending and the case remains controversial in Angolan political circles.

In Luanda, Angola, a court sentenced political consultant Igor Ratchin to 11 years in prison and translator Lev Lakshtanov to 8 years for terrorism, espionage and election interference. The judges found them guilty of a campaign run by the Africa Politology network, a Russian political group that grew out of the dissolved Wagner mercenary outfit. The prosecution said the operation spread anti‑Western messages, paid local journalists and organised rallies that the government says were orchestrated, not spontaneous.

Ratchin and Lakshtanov, who protested the charges, said they were simply working on projects such as a Russian cultural centre in Luanda. Their cases were linked to two Angolans—sports journalist Amor Carlos Tomé and political activist Francisco Oliveira—who were also tried under the same allegations. Tomé received a two‑year suspended sentence; Oliveira was cleared of all charges.

Following the verdict, the prosecution appealed immediately, and Tomé remains in custody while the appeal is pending. Lawyers for the defendants voiced disagreement with the court’s claims, noting missing evidence and factual errors in the indictment. The case remains controversial, with many Angolans arguing the rallies were genuinely grassroots. The BBC has yet to receive a response from the Russian embassy in Angola regarding the defences’ extradition request.