Andrei Kapitonov, a former politician at the local level from Murmansk, says he was a pawn in the political game, the purpose of which was to discredit Norway. But instead he decided to expose the plans of the FSB.
In January 2016, a local politician and candidate to the Duma Andrei Kapitonov from Murmansk was introduced to put it mildly, a very specific program of the Russian security service, the FSB, says Norwegian online newspaper the Independent Barents Observer, specializing in news from the regions of the North.
Kapitonov had to establish a local branch of liberal opposition party Parnas on the eve of the Duma elections in the fall of 2016, then travel to Kirkenes in August/September of 2016 and to request the police security Service to provide economic support for the establishment of a branch of the party, then go back to Murmansk and loudly and clearly on Russian television that the party had received financial support from Norway. In Russia, organizations that receive economic support from the West, called “foreign agents”.
It is directed against Norway
“It was obvious that the operation was directed against Norway,” says Kapitonov in, told Barents Observer, who met with the Russian in Murmansk.
If he had carried out the trick, then a career as a politician in Russia would be over. As a thank you for helping Kapitonov would get a well-paid job in the public service.
But Kapitonov broke all the plans.
“I decided that enough is enough. I understand that it is illegal, what is contrary to my moral principles,” says Kapitonov.
“Needed the money”
Discrediting campaign had to be staged before the elections to the Duma in September 2016. The aim was to show that Norway interferes in Russian politics, but when Capinov refused, the campaign has covered with a copper basin. While Kapitonov was known for his fight against corruption. His contacts with the KGB began in 2014.
On the question of why he even agreed to go for it, he replied briefly:
“Money was right”.
The police security service did not comment on the case for the Barents Observer. Russian FSB denies everything.
“According to information available to the Department of the FSB in Murmansk, published by Kapitalowym the allegations are untrue,” said FSB on B-Port in Murmansk.
Filed a lawsuit against FSB
However, Kapitonov is not stopped. In March, he sent the case to the Committee of inquiry “the district court of first instance” in Murmansk. However, in the end, was in Murmansk FSB, and that meant that it should “investigate itself.” Now Kapitonov has taken steps to initiate a claim against the Russian security services.
“I asked the court to force the FSB to admit that I was their agent, and that I, along with other agents were involved in this illegal operation,” said Kapitonov, according to Barents Observer.
