The verdict is not yet final and can be appealed within ten days.
According to „Firmas.lv“, I. Podkolzins has not been a board member of „Kartu už Latviją“ since Thursday.
The indictment states that I. Podkolzins collected intelligence data about Latvia’s critical infrastructure – specifically transport and logistics facilities, including hangars located on the territory of Riga Airport and their usage, as well as access control and security procedures at the airport.
According to the State Security Service, he also collected and passed on information to Russian intelligence services about the construction of state border and border infrastructure, defense and military mobility measures along the border with Russia, foreign troops’ training in Latvia, as well as information about specific Latvian citizens.
The TV3 program „Neka Personiga“ („Nothing Personal“) reported that the pro-Kremlin organization „Baltic Antifascists“ collected and passed information to Russian authorities about military facilities, cargo, as well as individuals and companies supporting Ukraine.
Their „Telegram“ channel is managed by Sergei Vasiliev, who fled Latvia, and he passed the received information to persons connected with Russian special services.
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According to „Neka Personiga“, leaked correspondence from Russia shows I. Podkolzins’ connections with S. Vasiliev. It states that I. Podkolzins traveled to Moscow several times in 2023 and 2024, where he met with S. Vasiliev.
Material held by the program shows that I. Podkolzins, using the pseudonym Vadim Sedov, sent information about objects located on the territory of Riga Airport, including hangars and cargo.
Based on publicly available data, I. Podkolzins was previously a member of the Daugavpils city council, headed the Latvian Investment and Development Agency’s office in Russia, worked as an economic attaché at the Latvian embassy, and worked in the aviation industry.
It is reported that four individuals were detained in January this year and are currently in custody. Three of them are Latvian citizens, and one is a non-citizen of Latvia. These four individuals are suspected of espionage – intentionally collecting intelligence information about Latvia’s civil and military critical infrastructure, as well as about persons and organizations supporting Ukraine.
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