Russia officially looking for CIA agent Smolenkov
The Russian government is officially looking for Oleg Smolenkov, a former Kremlin official who is believed to have been a CIA informant, RIA Novosti reports, citing information from the Russian Interior Ministry’s database.
Previously the American media reported that the CIA had had an agent in the Kremlin administration who was exfiltrated from Russia and returned to the US in 2017. Two Reuters sources confirmed this information.
The Russian newspaper Kommersant has speculated that the agent could have been Oleg Smolenkov, who went missing with his wife and three children during a holiday in Montenegro in 2017.
According to RIA Novosti, the database of the Russian Interior Ministry shows that Smolenkov has been placed on the wanted list as a missing person.
The American media reported that the CIA informant was a high-ranking official.
The Kremlin confirmed that Smolenkov had worked in the Presidential Administration, but emphasized that he had been fired in 2016/2017 and had held an insignificant position.
Earlier this month, Russia requested through Interpol that the US confirm the reports of Smolenkov’s whereabouts following reports by Russian journalists that a house registered in his name had been found in Virginia.
According to RIA Novosti, the house is in an area that is popular among former US army veterans and FBI staff.
The Russian government has fired the officials who gave Smolenkov the opportunity to flee the country through Montenegro, despite the fact that presidential administration staff are banned from traveling to this country, Interfax reported on September 13.