Intrigue and Controversy
The meetings with emissaries of the Kremlin, the presence of Russian soldiers and the alleged interference of Russia to destabilize Europe have generated great intrigue and controversy. The so-called Russian plot, one of the most controversial legal cases surrounding the Catalan process, has been piloted for years by the court of inquiry number 1 of Barcelona, under the direction of judge Joaquín Aguirre.
Reactivation and Research
Recently, this plot has been reactivated coinciding with the processing of the amnesty law in Congress, opening the door to the investigation of Carles Puigdemont and his entourage for a crime of treason. However, this procedure could be excluded from the law agreed between the PSOE, ERC and Junts.
Origin and Complaints
The Russian plot began to be manufactured years before it became known to the general public, with the Volhov operation in 2020. The lawyer Gonzalo Boye, who represents Puigdemont and Josep Alay, has submitted a brief to the court denouncing the alleged maneuvers behind this procedure, arguing that the contents of the phone of Víctor Terradellas, the main person investigated in the Russian plot, were leaked to substantiate newspaper articles and anonymous letters.
Leaks and Anonymous Letters
Leaks and anonymous letters have played a significant role in this case, fueling an investigation that had stalled. These leaks included confidential information from Terradellas’ phone, which ended up in the hands of journalists and was published in different international media.
Research and Resources
Investigations carried out by media such as The New York Times and the OCCRP have highlighted the alleged contacts between Puigdemont’s entourage and emissaries of the Kremlin, fueling suspicions about possible Russian influence in the Catalan process. This has generated several objections against Judge Aguirre, questioning his impartiality to continue leading the investigation.
Cause and Controversy
The Russian plot, which initially originated from a subsidy case at the Provincial Council of Barcelona, has become a complex investigation that has generated controversy and questions about the impartiality of the judge in charge. The alleged relations between pro-independence leaders and Russian citizens, as well as the Kremlin’s alleged intentions to destabilize Spanish democracy and the European Union, have been at the center of this judicial intrigue.