The Dutch secret service announced on Thursday that it had prevented a Russian spy from entering as an intern at the International Criminal Court (ICC), which sits in the Netherlands and investigates war crimes in Ukraine.
If he was not exposed in time, the man could have access to the building and to court computers, to collect data and find resources for the Russian military intelligence (GRU) account on which he works.
In other words, he can have influencing ICC criminal proceedingswhich is investigating crimes committed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, but also Russia’s war with Georgia in 2008, the Dutch secret service (AIVD) said.
Sent back to Brazil on the first plane
The individual was identified as Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, 36 years old. He pretended to be a 33 -year -old Brazilian under the name Viktor Muller Ferreira to gain access to the ICC, the Dutch secret service said.
He was arrested in April at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol from Brazil, scheduled to begin his internship at the ICC after being admitted, the Dutch news agency ANP reported.
He was returned to Brazil on the first plane, saysAIVDbefore being arrested by Brazilian police.
The spy represents a potentially very high threatbecause having oneself within the ICC is possible huge amount for Russia’s intelligence servicesraised the Dutch secret service.
This is rare for an intelligence officer of this caliber arrested, said Erik Akerboom, chief executive ofAIVDquoted by ANP.
The GRU has invested years in hiding true identity. This is a huge effortadded Mr. Akerboom, noting that the release of the spy mask in April was only announced today so as not to jeopardize the investigation.
fish aversion
The Russian spy has carefully built an identity over the years by inventing life down to the smallest detail, announced byAIVD in a document narrating his tastes and his course in life, written by himself in Portuguese.
He said he had a troubled relationship with his parents, was angry with fish, had a crush on a teacher and was nicknamed. gringo because he is looks German.
Brazil’s federal police said in a statement on Thursday that they arrested a man in April – whom they did not give his name – who refused to enter the Netherlands because he was using a fake ID.
” Using a sophisticated system of forgery, he imitated a Brazilian whose parents had died. “
Police added that he remains in custody pending trial.
The Russian spy arrived in Brazil in 2010 and settled in Ireland and the United States before returning to Brazil to prepare for his move to the Netherlands.
He needs to start a six -month probationary period at the International Criminal Court as junior analyst in the preliminary examinations sectionaccording to Brazilian police.
The ICC is very grateful to the Dutch authorities for this basic operations and more generally for exposing security threatssaid in a statement Sonia Robla, court spokeswoman, who is investigating alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine since Russia’s aggression began on February 24.
The ICC takes these threats seriously.he added.
This is not the first time the Netherlands has exposed Russian intelligence operations on its soil, and specifically in The Hague, where several international organizations and courts are based.
In 2018, Dutch authorities expelled four alleged Russian spies from GRU who they accused of trying to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is investigating the attacks in Syria.
France Media Agency
Source: Radio-Canada
