Russian spy, deported to Russia in 2017, fled back to Estonia

According to reports from Yahoo News and Eesti Päevaleht, Russian spy Artem Zinchenko, who was sentenced to five years in prison in Estonia in 2017 for collaborating with Russia’s Military Intelligence (GRU) and was deported to Russia via a prisoner exchange, has escaped back to Estonia.

Zinchenko claimed that he made his decision to leave Russia before Vladimir Putin’s mobilization on September 21 was made public. His wife and kids moved first, and he followed them after selling his St. Petersburg apartment. 

The Russian spy was opposed to the cruelty of the Kremlin

The Russian spy claimed that the cruelty of the Kremlin, both at home and abroad, as well as Estonia’s treatment of him, even though he had been detained there as an enemy agent, were the driving forces behind his decision to flee.

Fugitiva Russian spy is against Putin’s war in Ukraine

“On February 24, a terrible thing happened. It is the worst scenario imaginable, and not just because so many innocent people have been killed, said Zinchenko, who has family in Ukraine.

According to Zinchenko, he did not receive any assistance from the Estonian special services in planning his departure. He further said that after the fighting started, Russian security forces did not have time to follow him.

Alexander Toots, head of Estonian counterintelligence, told Yahoo News, “We’ve never had a case like this.” “I don’t think anybody has.”

“Many Russian special services officers oppose the war. They view it as a crime committed against Russia and the Russian people. Anyone seeking a new residence is more than welcome to contact us”, Toots stated.