An Angolan court has convicted two Russian nationals, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, of terrorism and espionage, sentencing them to eight and eleven years in prison respectively for allegedly plotting a coup and helping to instigate deadly unrest in the country. Prosecutors accused the pair of seeking to influence Angola's upcoming presidential elections — either by funding the opposition party UNITA (the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) or by forcing a leadership change within the ruling MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, which has governed since independence in 1975) — and of ties to Africa Politology, a Russian disinformation network linked to the now-rebranded Wagner mercenary group. The case follows riots in late July 2025 triggered by a minibus taxi strike over fuel prices, in which 22 people were killed, underscoring wider concerns about Russian interference across Africa at a time when Angola's government has been moving closer to the West.