Rita Flores claims she was coerced into spying on Russian artists, including Pavel Krisevich. Krisevich says he was unaware of her role until her recent interview.

Former Pussy Riot member Rita Riot member Margarita Konovalova, known as Rita Flores, stated on August 24 that she was recruited by the FSB in early 2023. Flores claims security officials threatened her family, forcing her to gather information on contemporary artists and activists. Among those she was ordered to monitor was performance artist Pavel Krisevich.

Recruitment and surveillance

Flores reported that her recruitment followed a search of her home in 2023. She stated that she was tasked with monitoring figures such as street artist Filipp Kozlov and Pavel Krisevich. Kozlov confirmed that Flores had urged him to leave Russia after warning him that he was under surveillance, noting that he was indeed tailed by authorities for four days before his home was searched.

Krisevich’s perspective

Pavel Krisevich, who left Russia in late 2025 following multiple arrests, stated he was unaware of Flores’s ties to the FSB until her recent interview. While Flores claimed she helped facilitate his departure, Krisevich noted that his decision to leave was primarily driven by direct threats from FSB officers who told him he would be imprisoned if he remained. He described his relationship with Flores as a long-standing friendship and expressed that he did not suspect her of informing on him at the time.