"'On 10 May, [the] Latvian State Security Service (VDD) asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a Russian citizen for spying on behalf of a Russian intelligence and security service and for violating the regulations on the storage of ammunition and explosives," the VDD said in a release.
"The criminal case against this person was initiated on 18 December 2023 pursuant to Section 85 Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Law. Namely, for illegal collecting of non-disclosable and other information for the purposes of transferring it to a foreign intelligence and security service on its behalf. VDD detained the person on 20 December 2023, and carried out criminal proceedings in five sites related to this person in Riga and its surroundings.
"In the course of the investigation, VDD established that the mentioned person obtained and transferred information on behalf of the Russian intelligence and security service about the political processes of Latvia, as well as critical infrastructure and military objects. VDD assesses that such information is useful for Russian intelligence and security services both for achieving intelligence goals and for planning and implementing malicious activities directed against objects in Latvia.
"In addition, during the investigation, when conducting criminal proceedings in one site related to the person, evidence was obtained that the person stored ammunition and explosives without proper authorisation. Taking into account the mentioned circumstances, VDD has asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against this person pursuant also to Section 233 Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law," the VDD said.
The VDD is one of the three Latvian Security and Intelligence Services alogside the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) and Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD).
