Portugal duped into granting citizenship to Russian spy
Portugal granted citizenship to a Russian spy who falsely claimed to be the son of a Portuguese man. In 2018, the man arrived in Portugal with his wife from Brazil, according to an investigation by Portuguese security services, as reported on Saturday by the Lisbon weekly "Sol".
What do you need to know?
- Russian spy received Portuguese citizenship: In 2018, the Russian entered Portugal, posing as a Brazilian citizen with a Portuguese father. This deception enabled him to acquire a Portuguese passport.
- Espionage activities in Porto: The pair of Russian spies, using false Brazilian identities, engaged in intelligence activities in Porto, according to an investigation by Portuguese counterintelligence.
- International cooperation of services: The dismantling of the spy network was made possible through the collaboration of counterintelligence services from eight countries, including the USA, Portugal, and Brazil.
How did the Russian obtain Portuguese citizenship?
In 2018, the Russian arrived in Portugal with his wife, claiming to be Manuel Francisco Steinbruck Pereira. He asserted he was Brazilian with a Portuguese father, which allowed him to secure Portuguese citizenship.
The Russian, approximately 30 years old, was reportedly issued a Portuguese passport. The authorities were unaware of his true identity or espionage activities at the time.
What did the Portuguese counterintelligence investigation uncover?
The investigation found that the Russian and his wife, Yekaterina Leonidovna Danilova, used false Brazilian documents. While Danilova did not obtain a Portuguese passport, she was granted the right to permanent residency. The couple frequently left and returned to Porto without any issues.
According to the investigation, Danilova was supposed to leave Portugal permanently first, followed by her husband.
What were the international actions in this case?
Portuguese investigators discovered that the Danilovs were part of a larger Russian group that operated under false identities as Brazilian citizens, conducting intelligence activities in various countries worldwide.
The group was ultimately dismantled through the cooperation of counterintelligence services from eight countries, including the USA, Portugal, Brazil, and Uruguay.
