Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has warned of what it claims is a Western-backed operation, allegedly involving Ukraine, designed to portray Moscow as a supplier of illicit weapons to drug cartels and organized-crime groups in Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. Russia did not identify the Western country it says is behind the alleged operation.
According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the alleged operation would involve placing Russian-made weapons captured by Ukraine during the war into the three Latin American countries. Those weapons would then supposedly be presented as evidence that Russia was illegally supplying arms to criminal organizations in the region.
Moscow also claims the alleged plot would use manipulated audio and video recordings purporting to show Russian citizens arranging weapons deliveries to Latin American recipients through intermediaries. Russia says forged documents would additionally be used to connect members of the Russian armed forces to the alleged weapons-smuggling operation.
The Kremlin says the purpose would be to damage Russia’s relationships with Latin American governments and pressure them to adopt what Moscow describes as the West’s anti-Russian position. Russian officials dismissed the alleged operation as an anti-Russian fabrication.
Russia also accuses Britain of escalation
Separately, the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom accused London of deliberately escalating the war in Ukraine following reports that Ukraine has used British-made drones in attacks against targets inside Russia.
The accusation followed reporting by The Sunday Times that drones manufactured by two British companies and supplied to Ukraine had been used in Ukrainian attacks against military and industrial targets in Russia. The BBC also reported on the use of the drones. Moscow warned that Britain’s actions would have consequences.
Russian opposition politician sentenced to 11 years
The article also reports that a Russian court sentenced Lev Shlosberg, a 63-year-old opposition politician and vice president of the anti-war Yábloko party, to 11 years in prison.
A court in Pskov found him guilty of publicly “discrediting” Russia’s armed forces because of his criticism of the war in Ukraine. Yábloko leaders condemned the ruling, calling it evidence of the deterioration of Russia’s justice system. The party was also recently excluded from Russia’s September legislative elections.
