Yesterday, there was an exchange of prisoners between Russia and Western countries. Opposition members and citizens of the North Atlantic Treaty countries left Russian prisons. Among those handed over to Russia was GRU agent Pavel Rubtsov, who operated as Spanish journalist Pablo Gonzalez. In 2021, he was in Sokólszczyzna.
Turkish intelligence played an important role in the exchange of prisoners, acting as a mediator. In the operation, a total of 26 people from various countries were released, including Poland, the USA, Germany, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus. Prisoners were exchanged in Ankara, Turkey. 10 agents and spies were taken to Russia.
The case also has a Polish aspect. Pavel Rubtsov (also known as Pablo Gonzalez) was in a Polish prison. After the exchange of spies, he was sent to Russia.
In the fall of 2021, Rubtsov was in the Sokółka region, during the greatest escalation of tensions on the Polish-Belarusian border.
Internal Security Agency officers detained him on suspicion of espionage in Przemyśl on the night of February 27-28, 2022. He was charged with participating in the activities of a foreign intelligence agency against Poland. He was identified as a GRU agent. He carried out activities for Russia using his journalist status. Thanks to this, he was able to move freely around Europe and the world, including to zones affected by armed conflicts and areas of political tension.
“Dziennikarz” also visited the Sokółka region. He posted photos from Sokółka, Bohoniki and Kuźnica on his social media.
SEE ALSO: A Russian spy posing as a journalist was in the Sokółka region in November last year. [FOTO]
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