Russian Activist Breaks Silence on Spy Scandal Following Prisoner Swap
In early August, Pablo González, a journalist originally from Spain, was released from a Polish prison as part of a dramatic prisoner exchange between Russia and the West. González was flown to Moscow alongside Russian undercover agents, hackers, and an alleged hitman for the FSB, Russia’s intelligence service. Upon landing, the group was welcomed by a military guard, a red carpet, and none other than Vladimir Putin himself, who thanked them for their service to Russia.
A video from that night shows González smiling broadly as he shook hands with President Putin at the foot of the airplane steps. With a distinctive black beard and a bald, shiny head, González was notably wearing a Star Wars T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase, “Your Empire Needs You.” The 42-year-old, known among Russian circles as “Pablo, the Basque journalist,” had been detained in Poland since 2022 on espionage charges, accused of spying for Russian intelligence.
Among those freed in the exchange were two Russian opposition activists whom González had allegedly spied on. One of these activists, Zhanna Nemtsova, recently opened up about her suspicions regarding González, revealing that she first became wary of him back in 2019.
“I had a gut feeling about him,” Nemtsova shared in her first interview on the matter. She first met González in 2016 during an event in Strasbourg focused on investigating the assassination of her father, Boris Nemtsov, a vocal critic of Putin who was murdered near the Kremlin in 2015. Over time, González embedded himself into Nemtsova’s circle, attending events and conducting interviews under the guise of a journalist.
“I mentioned my suspicions to a few people, but they brushed them off as paranoia,” Nemtsova recalled. “But I was absolutely right, and I want others to be cautious. The threat isn’t just something from books or movies; it’s real and it’s close.”
González’s story took a turn in 2022 when he was arrested in Przemyśl, Poland, near the Ukrainian border, while covering the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Polish authorities have remained tight-lipped about the specifics of his arrest, and details about his alleged espionage activities have been sparse. However, González’s subsequent release and his warm welcome in Moscow suggest he played a significant role in gathering intelligence for Russia.
After his release, González appeared on Russian state-controlled television, strolling through a Moscow suburb and reflecting nostalgically on his childhood. Born Pavel Rubtsov, he explained that he adopted the name Pablo González after moving to Spain with his mother in 1991. His grandfather had fled to the Soviet Union during the Spanish Civil War, a connection that later allowed González and his mother to claim Spanish citizenship.
Zhanna Nemtsova, however, believes that González’s charm and friendly demeanor were all part of his espionage tactics. “He knew how to make people comfortable, but he was always collecting information,” she said. Nemtsova’s ex-husband, Pavel Elizarov, and fellow activist Ilya Yashin echoed her sentiments, noting González’s ability to integrate seamlessly into social circles, gaining trust while secretly working as an informant.
Polish investigators reportedly uncovered numerous reports from González detailing the activities and movements of various individuals over several years. The reports allegedly included details about Russian opposition activists, Polish citizens, and even participants in a journalism summer school run by Nemtsova.
Despite the ongoing controversy, many of González’s supporters continue to argue for his innocence, citing the lack of a formal conviction and questioning the validity of the espionage charges against him. However, the elaborate reception González received in Moscow, complete with a handshake from Putin himself, has left many convinced of his role as a spy.
For Nemtsova, the experience has heightened her sense of caution. “I always think about security now,” she admitted. “I used to believe Europe was safe, but after what happened, I know better. We all need to be more vigilant.”
As González faces an uncertain future in Moscow, his story serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West, where the line between journalism and espionage is increasingly blurred.
