Two Russians have been sentenced to jail for terrorism and spying in Angola.

Well-supported — high-quality sources agree

What we can confirm

Multiple reputable news outlets report that a court in Luanda, Angola has convicted two Russian nationals, political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov, on charges that include terrorism and espionage, and sentenced them to prison terms of 11 years and 8 years respectively.[1][2][3] These sources consistently describe the verdict as involving both terrorism and spying/espionage, affirming that the two Russians have indeed been sentenced to jail in Angola on these charges, even though defense lawyers and some analytical pieces dispute the evidentiary basis of the case.[1][2][3][6]

Sources

Checked July 22, 2026 · we'll re-check as this develops