Convicted Narva resident, formerly employed by Russia's FSB, receives prison sentence
Russian Spy Pavel Kapustin Sentenced to Six and a Half Years in Prison
Pavel Kapustin, a Russian citizen residing in Narva, Estonia, has been sentenced by the Viru County Court to six and a half years in prison for espionage activities on behalf of the Russian intelligence service FSB, submitting false information, and violating international sanctions.
According to the sentence, Kapustin knowingly established contact with the FSB and gathered and transmitted information and resources that were used for intelligence and influence operations against Estonia’s security. He operated between 2022 and 2024, providing Moscow with intelligence about Estonia’s attitudes and political positions.
In addition to espionage, Kapustin transported sanctioned luxury goods from Estonia to Russia and earned at least €90,000 from such criminal activities. The court ordered the confiscation of these earnings.
Furthermore, Kapustin falsified information submitted to the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) when applying for a residence permit.
The investigation was conducted by Estonia's Internal Security Service, and the prosecution was led by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
This case reflects ongoing tensions between Estonia and Russia concerning espionage activities, especially along the NATO-Russia border. The substantial sentence underlines Estonia’s strong stance against threats to its national security from Russian intelligence operations.
However, the specific nature or details of the intelligence activities were not provided in the news article. The sentence was issued by the Viru County Court, but the exact date was not provided.
The Russian spy Pavel Kapustin was involved in both politics and general-news matters, as he was gathering and transmitting information about Estonia's attitudes and political positions to Moscow. Additionally, Kapustin was found guilty of crime-and-justice activities, as he violated international sanctions, transported sanctioned luxury goods, and earned money from such criminal activities.
