A Dutch artist unknowingly played a role in the espionage adventure of a Russian couple who were released last week in a major prisoner exchange. The exchange, involving Russia and Belarus on one side and several Western countries on the other, saw a total of 24 prisoners freed.
Russian Spies in Slovenia
Artem Doeltsev and Anna Doeltseva, posing as an Argentinian couple with two children, were sent by Russia to Slovenia years ago to gather intelligence. They operated an ICT company and an art gallery in Slovenia. Under the alias Maria Rosa Mayer Muños, Anna sold various artworks, including paintings by Dutch artist Mariken Heijwegen. The artist was completely unaware of their true identities and intentions.
Unwitting Contact
"I came into contact with her after I sent her a message on Instagram because she had a very nice gallery," the artist told Nieuwsuur. "She represented some foreign artists, and I thought it would be nice to do something in Slovenia as well. We hit it off, and she asked me if I could send some paintings for an art fair in Zagreb, Croatia, so she could represent me there."
Double life
The spy and their spouse became so immersed in their false identities that they reportedly lost proficiency in their native language. In an interview with Russia-24, they revealed that their children only learned about their parents' true identities on the flight back to Russia.
For the full story and more details, visit NOS Nieuwsuur.