Argentina’s intelligence service has uncovered a group of suspected Russian spies who are accused of spreading disinformation. These Russian citizens allegedly collaborated with Argentines to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs through propaganda campaigns. The group’s main goal, according to a presidential spokesperson, was to form a group of people loyal to Russia’s interests. These individuals would then be tasked with carrying out disinformation campaigns that were specifically targeting the Argentine state.
This suspected spy ring was allegedly part of a much larger organization which is colloquially called “The Company.”
The group is reportedly linked directly to the Kremlin and the well-known Russian interference operation called Project Lakhta. That notorious operation is known for targeting citizens in the United States, as well as in Europe and Ukraine. Project Lakhta was reportedly overseen by the late Russian oligarch and well-known Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
According to a government spokesperson, the group created and then widely spread specific content on many social media platforms. They also worked to influence a number of local civil organizations and conducted special focus groups with Argentine citizens. A key part of the group’s mission was also to gather important political intelligence to send back to Russia.
These actions were all designed to promote Moscow’s specific geopolitical interests throughout the entire South American region.
The suspected leader of the spy ring is a Russian citizen who has been identified as Lev Andriashvili. He and his wife, Irina Iakovenko, are believed to have been responsible for receiving the operational funding. Their primary role was also to establish the necessary connections with all of their local Argentine collaborators. The government has made a firm statement that Argentina will not be subjected to the foreign influence of any other nation.
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