The National Court's investigation into Russian espionage in Catalonia includes the activities of a Russian citizen and another Ukrainian who was arrested on October 4

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The National Court's investigation into Russian espionage in Catalonia includes the activities of a Russian and a Ukrainian citizen who was arrested last October 4 in La Junquera (Gerona) while circulating on the AP-7 in the direction of France. In the vehicle registration, a high-end Mercedes registered in Belarus, the Civil Guard Prosecutor's section found a Russian-made M-75 grenade "in perfect condition" inside a briefcase.

After the intervention of the Tedax, both ended up in provisional prison by order of the judge of Figueras (Gerona). Apart from that imputation in the court of the place of the events for the deposit of weapons of war, the National Court also investigates its role in the activities of Russian espionage aimed at the political destabilization of Spain taking advantage of the Catalan conflict.

The National Court connects both detainees - one of whom had an arrest warrant under another identity - with the also investigated Denis Sergueiev , a senior officer of the Russian military intelligence services (GRU). The Bellingcat research website revealed that this spy has visited Barcelona on at least two occasions under the identity of Sergey Fedotov . One of them, on September 29, 2017, three days before the 1-O referendum. Fedotov would be part of a special espionage unit designated number 29155 .

This group of Russian military intelligence would have launched computer attacks in the days leading up to the holding of the 1-O referendum. Investigators suspect that those members of the so-called Group of the Central Intelligence Department (GRU) - military espionage - had connection with Russian hackers who helped keep websites active on the day of the illegal consultation.

As EL MUNDO has been able to know, within the framework of this separate piece - which remains under the secret of summary - both attempts at hacking by the Defense Committees of the Republic (CDR) within the framework of the process are investigated as well as actions developed by the Russian elite unit aimed at favoring the celebration of 1-O within a major destabilization maneuver at European level.

The different sources consulted explain that although the investigation started four months ago at the National Court, at the moment it is a question of elucidating the real scope of the movements of Russian spies and the degree of infiltration in Catalan independence. Researchers work with several hypotheses and do not rule out that there are links between process leaders and Russian spies.

Collect international support

The Government's interest in obtaining international support has led to contacts with Russian politicians seeking their support in the process and eventual international recognition. This is confirmed by Sergei Markov, a professor at the Faculty of Political Science of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, who met with an envoy of former President Carles Puigdemont . Although he is no longer a member of United Russia, Markov remains a relevant name within the Russian establishment . That is why he was not surprised when, he explains, a journalist contacted him and said "that a Puigdemont advisor wanted to talk and discuss political matters." On that date, Víctor Terradellas , president of CatMón and former head of international relations at CDC, raised Russia's recognition of the independence of Catalonia. «I told them that I would talk with colleagues and they confirmed that Russia would be on the side of the Spanish Government», Markov assured yesterday to EL MUNDO, who does not reveal who he went to know the official position, but assures that they were not members of the Government but « political consultants ».

"We met again and told them that there was no possibility for Russia to recognize the independence of Catalonia for several reasons." Then, according to Markov, the Catalan emissary put his counter offer on the table: "They told me that they could recognize Crimea as part of Russia." He says Russia was not tempted: "We are a big country, we are not interested in that recognition."

Markov recalls that he had "two or three meetings" with the emissary "in the acute phase of the Catalan crisis." And finally he recommended "to address the Foreign Ministry and the Presidential Administration," but he had the impression, "from what they told me, that their visit was not very well seen by the people of the Government."

Regarding the presence of Russian agents interfering in the Catalan crisis, he believes that "under no circumstances" this is taking place. "Although of course Russia has spies in all countries ... I am not a spy, but I know that in this crisis in Catalonia these agents are to gather information to inform the Russian president, who is the leader of a large country and must to know everything, even more than the Spanish prime minister ».

Markov also admits that when he rejected to his separatist interlocutors that he would recognize the independence of Catalonia, he said "for the moment." And he explains: «As a political scientist I know that countries are formed and disappear, even those that are large like the Roman Empire, all may disappear. My job is to realize when it happens ». Today he believes "99% that the Russian Government will not recognize Catalonia."

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