Putlers’ Journalist: Unveiling the Espionage Activities of Pablo González in Europe

Poland's conservative govt. was slammed by EU, liberal-left media in Feb. 2022, when Polish counterintelligence arrested Pablo González on espionage charges. González turned out to be a GRU illegal.

The recent revelations surrounding Pablo González, also known as Pavel Alekseyevich Rubtsov, have sent shockwaves through European intelligence communities and raised critical questions about national security, espionage, and political accountability. González, a journalist with dual Spanish-Russian citizenship, was arrested in Poland in February 2022 on charges of espionage for the Russian military intelligence agency, GRU. His arrest by Polish special services during the tenure of the conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) was met with sharp criticism from liberal-left circles. In hindsight, these attacks appear profoundly misguided, given the depth and breadth of González's espionage activities.

Drawing on investigative reports by Esteban Urreiztieta and Xavier Colás published in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Shaun Walker’s article for The Guardian, as well as additional insights from Antena 3 this article delves into and summarises González's decade-long espionage operations. It examines his modus operandi, the critical intelligence he gathered, and the implications for European security and politics.

A Decade Undercover: González's Espionage Journey

Pablo González's story is one of dual identities and hidden agendas. Born as Pavel Alekseyevich Rubtsov on April 28, 1982, in Moscow, he moved to Bilbao, Spain, with his mother after his parents' divorce. In Spain, he adopted the name Pablo González Yagüe, but in Russia, he retained his birth identity. This dual identity became a cornerstone of his espionage activities.