# Pussy Riot member reveals three years as FSB informant > Rita Flores describes how Russian spies blackmailed her into spying on fellow activists, then asked her to help kidnap a Kremlin enemy. - Title: Pussy Riot member reveals three years as FSB informant - Summary: Rita Flores describes how Russian spies blackmailed her into spying on fellow activists, then asked her to help kidnap a Kremlin enemy. The FSB uses… - Keywords: pussy riot, rita flores, fsb, russia, informant recruitment, blackmail, opposition activists, pyotr verzilov, ukraine, kremlin, surveillance state, political repression - Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/19/pussy-riot-russian-spies-fsb-activists-rita-flores - Published: 2026-09-19T04:00:36+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: pussy riot, rita flores, fsb, russia, informant recruitment, blackmail, opposition activists, pyotr verzilov, ukraine, kremlin, surveillance state, political repression ## Artist forced to spy on activists Rita Flores, a 29-year-old Russian artist and former Pussy Riot member, was recruited by the FSB in February 2023 after police officers threatened to prosecute her for an Instagram post criticising Russian killings in Ukraine. ## Threats to family secured cooperation The FSB officers threatened to open a criminal case against her and suggested they could arrange for her mother to be killed if she did not sign cooperation papers. She received a one-time payment of 30,000 to 40,000 roubles, roughly 266 to 355 pounds. > "My fear was too great. I was so worried for my family and also for myself." ## Two handlers, good cop and bad cop Her handlers were Ivan, a friendly junior officer, and a senior officer she called "the Jacket" for his shiny black suit. Ivan offered promises of re-education and a calm life, while the Jacket made direct threats and insults. > "The FSB will re-educate you, I will re-educate you, you'll have a nice and calm life, and you'll love Russia, have children and be an obedient wife." ## First task: gather intelligence Flores was ordered to gather information about opposition-minded artists in her circles and report back to the FSB. Her handlers organised frequent meetings and maintained psychological pressure through repeated threats. ## She sabotaged her own mission Rather than inform on fellow artists, Flores deliberately started conflicts with them to push them away and prevent them from sharing sensitive information. She told about 20 people about her recruitment, describing herself as a massive gossip. ## Artists fled, leaving few targets Most protest-minded artists left Russia as the crackdown intensified. Those who stayed became careful not to produce work that could be considered political, creating what Flores called an exercise in cognitive dissonance. ## Moscow booming but people broken Flores described wartime Moscow as a city of restaurants and clubs opening while those who understand the situation have empty eyes and speak empty words. Artists who remained drew flowers in vases instead of making strong statements. > "Moscow is booming; restaurants, bars and clubs are opening and there are a huge number of events. But those people who understand things have empty eyes and speak empty words." ## New target: kidnap and murder plot In May, her handlers asked her to get information about Pyotr Verzilov, an activist who fled to Ukraine and fights with the Ukrainian army. They wanted her to lure him to Serbia where an FSB squad would kidnap and kill him. ## Monthly payments for murder plot Ivan began paying her 50,000 roubles a month as an incentive to help arrange the Verzilov case. Flores said she was plotting her escape the entire time, using her marriage as a cover to refuse the trip. ## Lawyer helped her escape Flores contacted lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov, who helped her realise she could leave Russia despite her handlers' claims they controlled everything. She fled in August and immediately went public with her story. > "They created a reality where she felt like they controlled everything, but actually it is not that hard to leave." ## She was also being spied on Flores discovered the FSB had a sex tape of her that was covertly filmed by someone in her own surroundings who had informed on her before she agreed to cooperate. She believes informant recruitment is a mass phenomenon among activists. ## Public confession brings mixed response Flores's video confession was praised by some exiled Russian opposition figures for her bravery, but others criticised her for cooperating for three years. Fellow Pussy Riot member Masha Alekhina noted that no one was killed or imprisoned because of her actions. > "It's important that she's now out of the country and that she said what happened to her out loud. Nobody was killed and nobody went to prison." ## Now helping others escape Flores has been calling people she informed on to explain herself and said everyone was supportive. Her lawyer announced a secure line for people in similar situations to contact him for help escaping Russia. ## Fear can change a person Flores emphasises that while cooperation with the FSB is not ideal, fear can fundamentally alter someone's choices. She hopes her story will embolden others in similar situations to break free from FSB control. > "It's not a big secret that it's not great to work for the FSB, but fear can change a person." ## Key takeaway The FSB uses blackmail, threats to family members, and psychological manipulation to recruit informants within opposition circles, a tactic Flores says is widespread among Russian activists.