Luanda, Angola – A dramatic courtroom saga culminated recently as two Russian men, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, received substantial prison sentences from an Angolan court. They were convicted of terrorism and spying, igniting international interest. These Russian Spies Angola, as they’ve come to be known, faced grave accusations of orchestrating a coup and fomenting deadly unrest during last year’s tumultuous fuel price protests.
Lakshtanov was handed an eight-year term, while Ratchin received an even longer eleven years behind bars. Both vehemently denied the charges, asserting their presence in the southern African nation was purely for legitimate cultural and business engagements. However, prosecutors painted a far more sinister picture, detailing an alleged plot to destabilize the government.
The Conviction of Russian Spies in Angola
The convictions stem from a period of intense civil unrest in July 2025. A minibus taxi strike, ostensibly over fuel price hikes, rapidly spiraled into widespread riots and destructive looting. Official figures tragically reported 22 fatalities and over 1,600 arrests during these three harrowing days. Accusations of excessive force were leveled against Angola’s security forces, who were said to have used live ammunition on protestors. The government, conversely, maintained its “progressive” use of force was entirely justifiable. It’s worth noting that even before these events, Human Rights Watch had highlighted Angola’s deployment of “excessive force” against peaceful demonstrators protesting fuel price increases earlier that month.
Angolan prosecutors contended that Lakshtanov and Ratchin harbored ambitions to manipulate upcoming presidential elections. This audacious plan allegedly involved funneling funds to UNITA, Angola’s principal opposition party, or even engineering a leadership change within the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which has held power since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975. Furthermore, investigators posited a direct connection between the accused and Africa Politology, a shadowy Russian disinformation and propaganda network. This network, it’s been revealed through various investigative reports, was reportedly absorbed by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) following the demise of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in 2023, with Wagner itself being rebranded as Africa Corps and integrated into Russia’s military apparatus.
Historically, oil-dependent Angola has maintained robust ties with Russia, a relationship forged during the Cold War when the Soviet Union supported the MPLA against US and South African-backed UNITA. However, since President João Lourenço took office in 2017, Angola has demonstrably strengthened its diplomatic and economic bonds with the United States and European nations, signalling a strategic reorientation.
Meanwhile, Russia’s presence across the African continent has notably surged over the past decade. The Wagner Group, and its successor Africa Corps, have become significant players, offering security services to leaders like the Central African Republic’s Faustin-Archange Touadéra since 2017. Their influence extends to Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where they bolster military regimes. Since 2023, Russian troops have also deployed in Equatorial Guinea, Libya, and Sudan, according to a US Congress report. Even Madagascar’s President, Michael Randrianirina, has deepened ties with Moscow since his 2025 coup, evidenced by Russian personnel in his presidential guard and a dedicated national television program on Madagascar-Russia relations.
In a related development, two Angolan citizens were also put on trial. Carlos Tomé, a sports journalist, received a two-year suspended prison sentence, while Francisco de Oliveira, the secretary-general of UNITA’s youth wing, was ultimately acquitted. Prosecutors have since appealed these sentences, as have Lakshtanov and Ratchin, who will remain in detention during their appeals process, according to Portuguese news agency Lusa. The Russian embassy in Angola has offered no immediate comment on these high-profile convictions of Russian Spies Angola.
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