Russian activist held in Poland admits he worked as FSB agent

A Russian opposition activist arrested in Poland has admitted he worked as an undercover agent for Russia's FSB security service and informed on other opposition figures, court documents claim.

- Shaun Walker

Igor Rogov, who is due to go on trial next month, has been associated with various opposition movements including Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation and Open Russia, linked to the exiled businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Rogov, 30, and his wife left Russia in 2021, according to court documents, and in 2022 they received visas for Poland, where they arrived a few days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began and settled in the city of Sosnowiec.

Rogov was arrested by Polish authorities last summer, initially over suspected links to an explosive package. Poland has been hit by a wave of arson and other sabotage attacks that involve onetime operatives on the ground and are believed to be run by Russian intelligence.

Later, Rogov's wife, Irina Rogova, was also arrested, and the couple were accused of cooperating with the FSB to inform on other Russian opposition activists.