Original article: Enrique Arias Gil, el «Edward Snowden español»: «Seguir luchando por España desde Moscú»

Enrique Arias Gil: The Spanish «Edward Snowden» Defending Spain from Moscow

Once a respected analyst within Spain’s Ministry of Defense, Enrique Arias Gil has become one of Europol’s most wanted individuals. A political scientist with a doctorate in International Security, he is described by the Audiencia Nacional de Spain as the mastermind and key collaborator behind NoName057, a prominent Russian-hacked activist group.

His name gained international notoriety following Operation Eastwood in 2025, where he was accused of cyberterrorism, computer damages, and providing crucial information for alleged attacks on critical Western infrastructure.

After fleeing European justice, he now speaks exclusively from Moscow, where the Kremlin has officially granted him political asylum, earning him the title of the ‘Spanish Edward Snowden.’

Enrique Arias Gil identifies as an analyst and a professor of intelligence and counterintelligence, specializing for years in infiltrating radical groups in Spain, including jihadists, Latin gangs, neo-Nazis, and anarchists.

Today, residing in Russia, he claims responsibility for a series of leaks that he asserts have exposed the personal data of over a thousand members of Spain’s security forces and intelligence services.

In this conversation with El Ciudadano, Arias Gil details what led him to sever ties with the system he once served, denounces what he describes as a lack of sovereignty of Spanish intelligence in the face of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel, and accuses authorities of collaborating with Ukrainian services on Spanish soil.

He also discusses the European arrest warrant issued for him and warns of forthcoming leaks: «With Russian calm, little by little.»

By the Research Team of El Ciudadano

– Tell us a bit about yourself: what were you doing before, in your work in intelligence and as a professor specialized in infiltrating radical groups?

– I was an operator, an analyst, and a professor of intelligence and counterintelligence, always in the private sector and at a private university. Today, I am an activist in the Russian Federation. In the operational part, my specialty was infiltrating various types of radical groups: jihadists, Latin gangs, neo-Nazi or anarchist groups.

– What motivated you to do this kind of work? Was there any political motivation behind it?

– From a more metapolitical perspective than a political one, it was always about protecting people. «I was drawn to those sectors because I find mystery fascinating; they allow you to have multiple lives.» I don’t remember saying that, but I did mention that some are attracted to that world out of fascination with the mysterious, for money, for power… but that wasn’t my case.

– How does Spanish intelligence operate?

– Primarily through a lack of sovereignty in security and intelligence matters; Spain essentially was a free-for-all. All types of intelligence services, British, Moroccan, French, were entering as if they owned the place. There were many members of Spanish security and intelligence working for everyone else, without a doubt.

– Do you consider that high treason?

– How is all this possible? I will explain that in the following questions. But I think it also answers one of the reasons why I did not stay silent.

– Let’s first talk about your political evolution. Why that shift? Was there any other motivation, another interest?

– From a young age, I was always interested in anti-imperialist fronts: Russia, Cuba, Venezuela. I have always been a political person and absolutely fascinated by that. Russia is one of the countries of my life. The Balkans too, especially Croatia, Serbia, Yugoslavia, and the entire socialist world. The architecture… even my grandma used to ask me why I was like this. My grandma, poor thing, passed away years ago. I would say I was having tea with Slovenian grandmas.

And the language too. I have always felt a tremendous fascination for everything Soviet, and I could elaborate much more; it’s a much broader topic.

– Let’s move to the main issue: the data leaks and your motivation. What has occurred since you carried them out?

– We carried out three major leaks, along with three significant campaigns in February. With all of these, Spain became the most exposed country in the world for the first time, even ahead of the United States. Afterward, we managed a large second leak of data from Spanish military intelligence. Finally, there was a campaign outside the country.

But the most important thing is that last year we were able to expose all the Atlanticists and globalists operating within Spanish security. As a result, the personal data of over a thousand members of Spanish security—military, police, and especially military intelligence personnel collaborating with the CIA and services like MI6 or Mossad—came to light.

We will publish more soon: we have several data packages. But, as I always say, we are not in a hurry. With calm, Russian calm, little by little.

– In that line, what did you discover about the infiltration and collaboration between Spanish intelligence and those of the United States, Israel, and Ukraine?

– Nothing new, as Spain operates under the Madrid Agreements of 1953, signed during the height of the Cold War. The United States began directing the Spanish transition in the 1970s, particularly when Spain was pushed to join NATO.

The situation worsened even more in 2022, with the special military operation. I have not uncovered anything new: before the transition, and even prior, the military, military intelligence, and Spanish intelligence in general have always collaborated with the Anglo-Americans.

What is new, not in quantity but in quality, is the formal and informal collaboration between Spanish intelligence services and Ukrainian ones. Spanish press speaks very little about this, presumably out of fear.

Added to this are their connections to criminal groups. It is not just about Ukrainian intelligence as such: their networks operate in Spain through human trafficking, arms trafficking, and the so-called «refugees.» Many are not refugees, but agents.

I believe that, in this sense, we have begun to open our eyes a bit about Spain. I fight for it first as a Russian, because I am an adopted Russian, but still Russian; and also as a Spaniard, as a Spanish patriot, because it remains my country.

– You state that Ukrainian services collaborate with Spanish intelligence. Can we delve into the infiltration of Ukrainian intelligence? Are we talking about political and extremist groups?

– They are lobbying from within. For example, with many police officers, military personnel, and even members of the National Intelligence Center through an association.

One case is of a former officer of the National Intelligence Center married to a Ukrainian woman, also an intelligence expert. This individual was practically the man of Ukrainian intelligence in Spain—just the opposite of what he should be: someone defending his country, not foreign interests.

But above all, we are talking about Spain and Ukraine. We have, for example, many members of the SBU and Ukrainian military present in Spain. We have that information, and also firsthand data thanks to our high-ranking informants in the Spanish Police and Civil Guard.

The entire political class is cooperating, working directly on intelligence operations with Ukrainian clandestine members or agents in Spain.

I consider this high treason. I have investigated all the accelerationist neo-Nazi terrorist organizations in Spain. And now Spanish authorities collaborate with a completely mafia-like and terrorist country. Why?

And not only that: they allow them to operate in the peninsula, inside the Spanish State, as if they owned the place. Spanish justice will do nothing about this, nor for Spanish patriots. We are here to continue fighting for Spain from Moscow.

– Is there evidence of violence or terrorism against the Russian community in Spain by these groups?

– There have been some cases of insults and threats against the Russian community, although I can’t say they are numerous. In the Spanish Levante, I have seen many more Ukrainian flags and much pressure, and unfortunately, the affected are Russians in some cases. In Spain, many stories have been told about me to Europol. But I was a Spaniard with values.

– What result has all this work yielded?

– Firstly, that everyone can see photographs and personal data of those affected. Secondly, that anyone can reach those people through all possible discreet channels. The Spanish traitors are exposed, from one morning to the next, to extortion and recruitment.

Right now, security within Spain is at a, let’s say, spectacular level because we will continue to increase the pressure as much as we can, and even a little more.

– What do you have to say in your defense?

– The Spanish state publicly commented on me in September, when my capture was requested from Europe regarding this. From here, I will do everything possible. And I would like to respond to those who support me: they are doing everything they can, and they are doing it very well.

El Ciudadano