Former Pussy Riot member Margarita Konovalova reveals FSB recruited her to spy on dissident artists; she feared for her family's safety

Margarita Konovalova, a former member of Pussy Riot, disclosed her recruitment by the FSB to spy on dissident artists, revealing a harrowing experience of coercion and threats. In a video interview, she recounted how agents threatened to kill her family and forced her to gather sensitive information on fellow artists.¹⁵

Konovalova, who was jailed in 2020 for protesting against police brutality, stated that she was given the codename “Harley” and instructed to report on the social circles and vulnerabilities of artists like Philippenzo and Pavel Krisevich. She described the pressure she faced, saying, “It was just like in the movies: we sat down at the table, and I wasn’t allowed to move or look away.”⁶

The FSB's tactics included threats of violence against her family, with agents claiming they would arrange her forced disappearance. Konovalova revealed that in the summer of 2025, she was offered over £11,000 to assist in a kidnapping plot against Pyotr Verzilov, a co-founder of Pussy Riot. Instead, she contacted her lawyer, Dmitry Zakhvatov, who has defended anti-war activists and was sentenced to 21 years in absentia for supporting the Ukrainian military.²³⁴

Konovalova's revelations highlight the dangerous environment for artists in Russia, where dissent is met with severe repercussions. She expressed gratitude to Zakhvatov and Leonid Nevzlin, an exiled businessman, for helping her escape to safety.