Latvian Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has commenced an investigation into the claims voiced by the team formed by Russian opposition member Alexei Navalny in their produced video that Latvian law enforcement officers allegedly helping former management representative of Russian Yukov oil company Leonid Nevzlin to persecute Kremlin’s opposition, the bureau told LETA.
LETA turned to the Internal Security Bureay (IDB) to find out if the bureau has plans to look into the claims voiced in the video. The bureau responded that they understand the increased interest for this information, but added that IDB is unable to provide comments.
On the 18th of September, the Minister of the Interior Rihards Kozlovskis told TV3 that Latvia takes the allegations made in the film about the alleged bribery of employees of Latvian law enforcement agencies very seriously.
Kozlovskis said it initially looked like the filmmakers had “put together a cocktail” of various facts, trying to play a game with each other, as a result of which the accusations made to the Latvian ombudsman were not true.
In the video put together and published by the team of Alexei Navalny, it is claimed that they managed to get their hands on a correspondence involving Nevzlin. This correspondence allegedly details how he – Nevzlin – had organised the attack on Leonid Volkov in March 2024. Additionally, the correspondence in question also allegedly suggests that Latvian law enforcers were involved.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) has also determined from Nevzlin’s correspondence that he was involved in organizing the attack on the foundation’s director Ivan Zhdanov in Geneva and the wife of economist Maxim Mironov, Alexandra Petrachkova, in Argentina.
The film also contains allegations that Nevzlin, along with co-conspirator Anatoly Blinov, by bribery, has succeeded in bringing a criminal case against the former FBK CEO Vladimir Ashurkov in Latvia. In their correspondence, the two also discussed the Riga prosecutors, who will help them. The FBK claims that it did not believe it, but Ashurkov himself told them that in March he was called to the police in London as a witness, where they were interrogated by Latvian police investigators and a prosecutor of a Riga district together with British police officers.
Ashurkov himself, however, revealed completely different information to the Latvian media, namely that the Latvian law enforcement authorities interviewed him about the purchase of a mansion previously owned by Russian worker Grigory Guselnikov and “PNB Banka”, the collapse of which is being investigated by the ombudsmen.
In connection with the bankruptcy of “PNB Banka”, both the State Police and the bank’s insolvency administrator have initiated legal proceedings, in which they hope to recover losses of more than EUR 30 million from the former management of the bank. LTV programme “De Facto” reported that the losses of EUR 31.5 million consisted of the bank’s decision to release the owner Guselnikov from a debt of more than EUR 12 million and his brother from a guarantee of EUR 1.3 million. EUR 7.2 million were credited by the bank to Guselnikov’s lawyers in the United States. The bank also sold its subsidiary Calleri Limited, which owned a fine mansion on the outskirts of London, without having to pay immediately. The value of the house is estimated at EUR 10 million. Vladimir Ashurkov, who resides in London, has been named as the buyer.
Latvian prosecutor’s office’s press-secretary Aiga Eiduka told LETA that the prosecutor’s office is informed about the documentary available in the public space, which, among other things, claims that the team of the former co-owner of “Yukos”
Mikhail Khodorkovsky allegedly bribed Latvian police officers and prosecutors in order to initiate criminal proceedings against Russian opponents.
The prosecutor’s office will not provide information before evaluating the allegations made in the documentary.
In turn, the Public Relations Department of the State Police previously indicated to the agency LETA that the police are informed about the video available in the public environment and the statements made therein, which also affect the police.
“We categorically reject the allegations of alleged police corruption. While the competent authorities carry out the assessment, the State Police will refrain from further comment,” the police said.