Russian security services are gathering intelligence in the Baltic states through a network called “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics” and preparing to assist Moscow in the event of an invasion.
The independent Russian Dossier Center has published a new investigation into how Russian intelligence operates in the Baltics. It concludes that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has built an extensive agent network in the region focused on monitoring supporters of Ukraine, collecting information on NATO military infrastructure and drafting occupation scenarios.
At the heart of the scheme is a Telegram channel called “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics,” which emerged in fall 2022 and initially presented itself as a grassroots initiative by “patriotic activists.”
Journalists found that the project was run by Latvia-born Sergei Vasilyev, who made no secret of his desire to establish direct ties with Russian security services. In his posts, he openly declared his willingness to cooperate with Moscow and referred to the Baltic states as “occupied by Anglo-Saxons.” Soon after launching the channel, Vasilyev was assigned a handler: former KGB officer Sergei Kolesnikov, who is linked to the FSB and has previously appeared in other investigations into Russian intelligence activities in Europe.
Documents reviewed by the Dossier Center together with Latvian journalists indicate that members of the network engaged in systematic data collection. Informants tracked military equipment movements, photographed NATO bases and training grounds, passed along information on citizens who support Ukraine, and reported on rallies, volunteer initiatives and businesses connected to aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The investigation details the case of a security guard at a Riga supermarket who, acting on his own initiative, monitored customers with pro-Ukrainian symbols, checked their personal data and sent reports to Vasilyev. Latvian police later detained the man and opened a criminal case against him. Similar incidents were recorded in other countries in the region, including Lithuania and Estonia.
Vasilyev portrayed himself as a victim of persecution in Europe and an ardent Kremlin supporter, but the investigation points to his criminal past. In Finland, he was convicted of laundering funds tied to a financial pyramid scheme that caused tens of millions of euros in losses. He successfully fled to Russia, where he received asylum.
The investigation also indicates the FSB prioritized building a broad network of loyal operatives ready to act in the event of conflict. Russia used a similar model before its invasion of Ukraine. At the time, Western experts say, a significant portion of agents were demoralized by the war’s scale and brutality. In the Baltic states, analysts believe the Kremlin is trying to learn from that experience and prepare ideologically motivated supporters in advance.
Authorities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have repeatedly reported increased activity by Russian intelligence services in recent years and have stepped up counterintelligence measures. Several figures tied to the “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics” case are already on trial, and some have received prison sentences for espionage and aiding a foreign state. European security services say such networks are part of hybrid warfare aimed at undermining regional security and supporting the Kremlin’s aggressive policies.
