Ex-Pussy Riot member Rita Flores says she cooperated with the FSB for nearly three years before escaping Russia

Former member of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot, Rita Flores, claims she was coerced by the FSB to collaborate with them for nearly three years before escaping the country. In February 2023, officers threatened her with criminal prosecution and physical harm to her loved ones. During this period, Flores allegedly provided the FSB with sensitive information about artists and political activists.

Flores was assigned the code name "Harley" by the FSB and given a handler named Ivan. She was first tasked with creating profiles on contemporary artists and potential law enforcement targets. Later, she was assigned to help plan the assassination of former Mediazona publisher and fellow Pussy Riot member, Pyotr Verzilov. The reward for successfully carrying out the operation was up to 3 million rubles ($36,000).

Flores refused to participate, and with the help of lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov, she managed to escape Russia. Zakhvatov, who had previously assisted Flores in avoiding surveillance, emphasized the importance of recovering her passport and warned that the plan lacked credibility, as he knew of the close relationship between Flores and Verzilov.