A court in Luanda has sentenced two Russian nationals to lengthy prison terms after convicting them of terrorism and espionage, concluding a case that prosecutors said involved an attempt to destabilise the southern African country ahead of its 2027 presidential election.
Igor Ratchin was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Lev Lakshtanov to eight years, having been found guilty on 21 July of charges that also included criminal association and illegal currency retention. The pair had been held in custody since their arrest in August 2025, accused of stirring anti-government protests and spreading disinformation. Prosecutors alleged the men paid local journalists and experts more than $24,000 to circulate pro-Russian and anti-government content, and that they planned a coup and sought control over economic assets.
Angolan sports journalist Amor Carlos Tomé received a two-year suspended sentence, while political activist Francisco Oliveira was acquitted. Prosecutors have appealed the ruling, keeping all convicted defendants in custody pending a higher court decision.