Czech counterintelligence uncovers Belarusian agent working for Russia’s GRU in Prague
Czech counterintelligence has detected a key collaborator of the Russian intelligence service GRU who had been working covertly in the Czech Republic for many years. Belarusian journalist Natalia Sudliankova has been ordered out of the country and placed on the Czech national sanctions list, together with her accomplice, GRU intelligence officer Alexey Shavrov.
Natalia Sudliankova has been active in the Czech Republic for more than two decades. She was granted political asylum in 1999 and over the years established herself as a journalist writing in both Russian and Czech. For a time she was a member of the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe and has contributed to Týden magazine, Lidové noviny and the Russian daily Izvestia, where she mainly reported on the political situation in Russia. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said there was convincing evidence that for years Sudliankova had served Russian interests.
“Natalia Sudliankova is a key collaborator of the Russian military intelligence service GRU and has been working covertly and systematically for several Russian organisations in the Czech Republic for many years. Her activities were directed from Moscow by Russian GRU intelligence officer Alexey Shavrov and she was paid tens of thousands of euros in cryptocurrencies.”
Sudliankova has been placed on the Czech national sanctions list and has been given 30 days to leave the country. According to the BIS counterintelligence service she worked not only for the GRU, but also for the Russian Fund for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad and the Immortal Regiment of Russia.
The GRU used her to arrange the publication of several articles in the Czech media on the instructions of her commanding officer. She carried out activities on behalf of sanctioned Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov and also cooperated with Rosatom, which was excluded from the tender for the construction of new units of the Dukovany nuclear power plant.
The service reportedly has credible evidence that Sudliankova was instructed by GRU agent Alexey Shavrov with whom she communicated primarily through various electronic means, and provided links to the payments she received for her services.
Commenting on the revelation, Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said that the threat posed by Russia’s activities is very serious and justified steps to tighten the law against foreign agents.
"This is part of the hybrid war that Russia is waging against democratic countries and the values we share. It is documented that Russia orchestrated over 100 attempts at sabotage around Europe in the past year. It is precisely such cases that led us to propose and push through Parliament legislation on “unauthorized activity for a foreign power” which the opposition severely criticized at the time. If that law were already in effect, we would not be talking about expulsion, but about criminal liability," he said.
Persons placed on the national sanctions list have their assets frozen and are denied entry into the country. The government has proposed that these two individuals should also be included on the EU sanctions list.
