Fueled controversy as a Western journalist — what is known about the Russian intelligence officer from Poland

Polish media delved into the "Rubtsov case" — Russian intelligence officer Pavel Rubtsov, who worked in Europe under the name Pablo Gonzalez. He was detained in 2022 in Przemysl, and the day before he was transferred to Moscow as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.

Who is the Russian agent Rubtsov? What did he write about on social networks? Polish journalists tried to answer these questions.

"Rubtsov was focused on whipping up narratives that correspond to what the opponents of the United Right camp in Poland said and say. Thanks to his legend, he was able to carry important narratives from the point of view of the interests of the Russian Federation — "crisis on the border as in Turkey", "refugees in hell on the border" and "Smolensk awakens demons", etc. He often intervened in Polish disputes, heating up the debate as a "Western journalist," said journalist Wojciech Mucha, posting some of the Russian intelligence officer's notes on Twitter.

The Polish portal "Nezalezhny" writes that Rubtsov is a military intelligence officer of the GRU.

"He was detained at the Polish-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022. He posed as a Spanish journalist and used the name "Pablo Gonzalez". He used his status as a journalist to gather information on Ukraine is for the Russian special services, and his goal was to gain the trust of Russian oppositionists," the Polish information resource continues.

EADaily reminds that today, on August 2, former Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski criticized official Warsaw for the fact that the authorities conducted a special operation to exchange prisoners with Russia.

"They gave the Russians the most valuable agent without getting anything in return," Kaminsky stated.