The Audio Long Read Journalist or Russian spy? The strange case of Pablo González
Nov 15, 2024
Pablo González navigated the dangerous waters of Russian opposition journalism, charming those around him while covering Putin's conflicts. His arrest in 2022 sparked intense debate—was he a legitimate journalist or a spy in disguise? The podcast delves into his dual identity and the fallout of his alleged espionage, including how it affected his relationships, particularly with a Polish journalist. With tangled loyalties and the shadow of betrayal, the narrative unveils the costs of journalism in perilous political landscapes.
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Meeting in Crimea
- Shaun Walker first met Pablo Gonzalez in Crimea in 2014, during the Russian annexation.
- Gonzalez helped Walker obtain a recording of a Russian general ordering Ukrainian marines to surrender.
Arrest in Poland
- Eight years later, Gonzalez was arrested in Poland on suspicion of espionage for Russia's GRU.
- This arrest occurred shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Double Identity?
- MI6 chief Richard Moore identified Gonzalez as a deep-cover Russian spy, an "illegal."
- However, Gonzalez's Spanish friends knew him by "Pavel" or "The Russian," suggesting an inconsistency.
