A trove of leaked documents has revealed that a prominent Russian cultural center in Spain has played a covert role in advancing the Kremlin’s geopolitical agenda across Europe. The files, obtained by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Spain’s El Periódico, provide a detailed account of how Aleksandr Chepurnoy, director of Casa de Rusia in Alicante, coordinated influence operations aligned with Moscow’s interests – all while operating under EU sanctions.

According to the internal communications, Chepurnoy acted as a direct conduit between Russian state actors and their proxies in Spain. His operations were conducted under the umbrella of Pravfond — a Kremlin-linked foundation officially known as the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad. Though Pravfond claims to provide legal aid to Russians abroad, the European Union sanctioned it in 2023 for its role in international propaganda and influence campaigns.

Chepurnoy’s correspondence with Pravfond leadership reveals his role as a strategic operative rather than a mere cultural ambassador. His messages described organizing protests, pressuring institutions, cultivating loyal media contacts, and even sabotaging events critical of the Russian state.

Among the activities documented in the leaked files was Chepurnoy’s orchestration of anti-NATO campaigns in the Alicante region, including a protest in the coastal town of El Campello. The protest coincided with broader Russian narratives accusing NATO of escalating the war in Ukraine and threatening global........

© Blitz