Kremlin Intelligence Operations in Latvia: Inside The Insider Investigation
According to a comprehensive investigation published by the independent Russian investigative outlet “The Insider,” the Russian presidential administration and the Moscow embassy in Riga are actively coordinating a pro-Kremlin agent network and influence operations in Latvia ahead of the upcoming Saeima parliamentary elections scheduled for October 3. The material, released in both Russian and English alongside a detailed YouTube video titled “Baltic Spies: Who in the Kremlin Oversees Agents in Latvia and Interferes in Elections,” outlines a structured campaign aimed at swaying Russian-speaking voters through coordinated disinformation.
Vladimir Balobajev Named as Baltic Curator in Presidential Administration
According to “The Insider,” the primary Baltic states curator within the Russian presidential administration is 38-year-old Kaliningrad-born Vladimir Balobajev. In 2015, Balobajev directed the Baltic Information and Analytical Center, an organization that funded independent journalists across the Baltic states, including honorariums paid to Andrei Solopenko, the editor of the now-EU-banned portal “Baltnews.” In 2025, a Riga court sentenced Solopenko to 280 hours of community service for sanctions violations. Balobajev later worked at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University before relocating to Moscow in 2019 to join the presidential administration, where President Vladimir Putin awarded him the rank of active State Councillor of the 3rd Class in December 2020.
Following a series of espionage scandals, the Kremlin dissolved its previous cultural directorate in August 2025 and established the Directorate for Strategic Partnership and Cooperation (USPS). Within this new structure, Balobajev oversees the Russian Foreign Ministry's 3rd European Department, Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian International Affairs Council, the Foundation to Support Compatriots, the Russkiy Mir Foundation, "Baltnews," and a network of pro-Kremlin propagandists. Notably, Khudoley's former student Vyacheslav Morozov was previously convicted in Estonia of spying for Russia's military intelligence service, the GRU.
Diplomatic Cover and SVR Station Chief Igor Sorokopuds in Riga
While the visible operations of the Russian embassy in Riga have shifted toward commemorative events and low-profile gatherings following a 60% staff reduction triggered by the downgrading of diplomatic relations in 2023, intelligence activities continue behind the scenes. According to "The Insider," the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) station chief in Riga is 43-year-old embassy first secretary Igor Sorokopuds. Between 2018 and 2024, he operated under diplomatic cover as a third secretary in Iran, where financial records obtained by "The Insider" from a Tehran diplomatic store indicate involvement in alcohol trade.
Transferred to Latvia in 2024 to lead the local SVR rezidentura, Sorokopuds focuses his intelligence-gathering on Latvia’s cooperation with NATO, military aid to Ukraine, and individuals holding access to state leadership, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The Insider” reports that the SVR network in Latvia primarily recruits former Soviet military personnel and Russian-speaking residents susceptible to pro-Kremlin messaging.
Political Assets and the Russian Union of Latvia Ahead of Elections
With 14 political parties and lists vying for 100 seats in the upcoming Saeima elections, Moscow continues to rely on legacy political assets, particularly the Russian Union of Latvia (LKS). Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, support for traditional “Russian World” networks has declined significantly. However, structural continuity remains. Tatyana Zhdanoka, the former European Parliament member whom “The Insider” previously exposed as an FSB agent maintaining contact and receiving funds since at least 2005, stepped down from LKS leadership in 2024.
Leadership of the political movement has since been assumed by Andrei Pagors and Yevgeny Osipov. Pagors, a former police officer and LKS co-chair, is running in the Saeima elections under the “Sovereign Power – United Latvians” list. Osipov, founder of a 1990s branch of the Russian National Unity movement in Latvia who was previously convicted of desecrating a state flag, maintains influence through his wife Yelena Osipova, an LKS board member and leader of the Russian community in Liepāja. Anna Bondere, a former assistant to Zhdanoka who frequently travels to Russia and participates in LKS protests, is also running on the “Sovereign Power – United Latvians” list, as detailed by “The Insider” and echoed in coverage by EuropeSays.
Did You Know?
Latvian security authorities have repeatedly warned the public about hybrid threat vectors and foreign influence operations targeting election integrity, making public investigative reports a crucial layer of democratic defense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is identified as the Kremlin’s chief Baltic curator?
According to “The Insider,” 38-year-old Vladimir Balobajev oversees operations targeting Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia from within the Russian presidential administration.
What role does Igor Sorokopuds play at the Russian embassy in Riga?
“The Insider” identifies Igor Sorokopuds, an embassy first secretary, as the local station chief for Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), monitoring NATO cooperation and military aid to Ukraine.
Which political entities are cited as carrying pro-Kremlin influence in the elections?
Investigative reports highlight candidates associated with the Russian Union of Latvia and the “Sovereign Power – United Latvians” list, including Andrei Pagors and Anna Bondere.
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