Rita Flores alleges she was forced to work as an FSB informant, tasked with tracking activists and participating in a plot against Pyotr Verzilov.
Key facts
- •Rita Flores claims she was coerced into becoming an FSB informant after a February 2023 apartment raid.
- •Flores stated she received 50,000 rubles monthly for her work between early 2024 and June.
- •She alleged she was offered 3 million rubles to facilitate an assassination plot against Pyotr Verzilov in Serbia.
- •Flores claims she sabotaged her assignments to protect targets like Philippenzo and Pavel Krisevich.
- •The Moscow Times noted it could not independently verify the claims made by Flores.
Former Pussy Riot member Rita Flores has stated she was coerced into working as an informant for Russia’s FSB security service. Flores claims she was forced to gather information on anti-war activists and was ordered to assist in a plot to kidnap and kill her former boyfriend, Pyotr Verzilov.
By the numbers
Coercion and Recruitment
Flores reported that FSB officers recruited her following a February 2023 raid on her Moscow apartment. She stated that handlers threatened her with criminal prosecution for social media posts regarding the war in Ukraine and issued death threats against her family members.
Assignments and Sabotage
Operating under the codename “Harley,” Flores was tasked with creating profiles on dissidents and artists. She claimed to have sabotaged these assignments for over two years, including faking conflicts with targets such as Philippenzo and Pavel Krisevich to delay their arrests. Between early 2024 and June, she received monthly payments of 50,000 rubles.
The Assassination Plot
In mid-2025, Flores was allegedly offered 3 million rubles to lure Pyotr Verzilov to a cafe in Serbia for a planned kidnapping and assassination. Refusing the order, she contacted lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov and subsequently fled Russia with the assistance of businessman Leonid Nevzlin.
Timeline
- February 2023FSB officers raided Flores's apartment and began coercing her into cooperation.
- Early 2024 to JuneFlores received monthly payments from her FSB handlers.
- Mid-2025Flores was ordered to lure Pyotr Verzilov to a location in Serbia for an assassination attempt.
- Earlier this monthFlores fled Russia with the help of Leonid Nevzlin.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Moscow Times.
