Global counterintelligence effort dismantles Russian spy ring
The collaboration of counterintelligence services from eight countries has led to the dismantling of a Russian spy network. The agents, having assumed new identities in Brazil, were operating in Portugal, among other locations, Lisbon media reported on Friday.
According to the SIC and CMTV stations, Russian operatives used Brazilian documents since this passport facilitates easy global travel.
Since 2018, a Russian couple posing as Brazilians had been operating in Porto. Portuguese journalists claim they quickly integrated into the local community.
The television stations assert that Vladimir and Ekaterina Danilov—like other Russian agents with forged Brazilian documents—were identified after the onset of the war in Ukraine, when Western countries intensified intelligence cooperation.
In addition to Portugal and Brazil, services from the USA, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Uruguay, and Greece also participated.
Greek counterintelligence, according to Brazilian television Globo, was the first to identify Artem Shmyriev—a Russian spy using the identity of Gerhard Wittich and residing in Rio de Janeiro.
He ran a 3D printing business there, and his partner was a high-ranking official representing Brazil internationally.
Shmyriev vanished during a trip to Malaysia with his partner. After his disappearance was reported to international services, it was revealed that he was a Russian agent previously identified by the Greeks.
