González, arrested in Poland as an alleged Spanish journalist, was handed over to Russia in early August as part of a prisoner exchange, despite suspicions from Russian opposition figures about his connections to the Kremlin.
Nemtsova first met him in 2016 and noticed troubling signs, which were later confirmed when it was revealed he had been providing information about Russian opposition figures.
González, also known as Rubtsov, had been residing in Warsaw and working as an independent journalist when he was arrested in Przemyśl, Poland, in February 2022 while reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war. He was later sent back to Russia.
While official charges accuse him of espionage on behalf of the GRU, there are doubts about the value and accuracy of the information he collected.
BBC: Doubts over González's espionage data and its impact
BBC News highlights that the significance of González's collected data on Russian opposition is unclear, with some reports being sloppy and containing unverified information.
The accuracy of Rubtsov's reports deteriorated after 2018, possibly related to the expulsion of Russian intelligence operatives from Europe.
Although some consider the case trivial, Zhanna Nemtsova argues that the collected data could have had serious implications for the GRU, and the prisoner exchange and González’s reception by Putin in Moscow have sparked controversy among his supporters, according to BBC News.
González's citizenship and career prospects uncertain amid espionage case
BBC also points out that although the Spanish government doesn't revoke nationality, even from those suspected of spying, González is unlikely to seek Spanish citizenship while the intelligence case in the EU remains unresolved.
The network points out that Rubtsov’s sons can visit him in Moscow, but he may face limited career opportunities, as former intelligence agents in Russia often end up appearing on state-controlled TV.
Russian citizens released after a prisoner swap with the West disembark from a plane at an airport in Moscow on August 1, 2024. Photo: EPA/KIRILL ZYKOV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN via PAP
Source: BBC News/El Pais/PAP
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