Russian Spymaster's Alleged Scheme to Control Migration into Europe with 15,000 Mercenaries

Jan Marsalek, a fugitive Russian spymaster and former COO of Wirecard, allegedly orchestrated a plan to control migrant flows into Europe using a private army of 15,000 mercenaries, mainly operating through Libya. This scheme reportedly had Kremlin backing and was aimed at leveraging migration as a political tool during European elections. In 2017, Marsalek secured over €120,000 from Austrian officials to support his plan, claiming it would help address the migration crisis. Meanwhile, a recent trial revealed that Marsalek coordinated a UK-based spy ring that was caught plotting surveillance and kidnapping operations. Marsalek has been on the run since 2020, following the collapse of Wirecard and is currently a subject of espionage investigations across multiple European nations. Authorities continue to explore potential charges against him as his activities raise significant security concerns for Europe.