Sergei and Tatyana Voronkov risked everything to betray their homeland and inform for Ukraine—now their flight to Lithuania exposes the growing reach of Russia’s shadow war in Europe.
At a Glance
- A Russian couple aided Ukrainian forces and fled to Lithuania after capture by Russian troops
- Sergei Voronkov endured 37 days of Russian interrogation before his unexpected release
- The couple used a forged passport to escape through Russia and seek asylum
- Their son disowned them, and Sergei’s mother supports the war
- Poland, Lithuania, and Romania have recently linked fires and arrests to Russian intelligence
From Informants to Outcasts
After years of quietly opposing Vladimir Putin’s regime, Sergei and Tatyana Voronkov left Russia in 2014, following the annexation of Crimea. They settled in a small Ukrainian village in Zaporizhzhia, determined to build a life free from the Kremlin’s reach. But when Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine in 2022, their moral compass drove them into dangerous territory: passing military intelligence to the Ukrainian army.
Despite knowing the legal stakes of their actions, the Voronkovs believed they were on the right side of history. Tatyana summed up their position in stark terms, stating, “Nobody attacked Russia. This was a fight against evil.” They transmitted battlefield coordinates and troop movement reports, acts which made them targets for Russian retaliation.
Watch a report: The Russians Who Turned Spy.
Escape via Enemy Territory
The cost of resistance was severe. Sergei was eventually captured by Russian troops in April 2024, enduring a 37-day interrogation. Shockingly, instead of a prison sentence or execution, Sergei was freed. The couple soon realized this was no act of mercy—they were under watch. Fearing arrest or worse, they plotted an escape through the very country they had betrayed.
Crossing into Russia, Sergei used a forged passport to reach Lithuania. Though initially detained for the falsified documents, a letter of gratitude from Ukrainian authorities bolstered their asylum claim. They now live in a Lithuanian shelter, isolated and awaiting judgment on their future.
That isolation extends beyond geography. Their son cut off all contact, and Sergei’s mother—an avowed Putin supporter—has denounced their actions. The emotional fallout illustrates the familial fractures wrought by loyalty to the Kremlin.
Russia’s Expanding Shadow War
The Voronkovs’ plight comes as Russia’s covert footprint grows darker across Europe. In May 2024, a massive fire gutted a Warsaw shopping center, and Polish officials claimed it was “for sure” arson orchestrated by Russian intelligence. The blaze impacted 1,400 businesses and sparked a regional security alert.
Meanwhile, in Vilnius, Lithuania’s government alleged Russian agents targeted an Ikea store, arresting two Ukrainian nationals connected to both the Vilnius and Warsaw incidents. Romanian authorities have gone even further, detaining six individuals in a sweeping counterintelligence probe. The suspects, allegedly guided by Russian handlers, aimed to undermine Romania’s democratic institutions and push the country out of NATO.
NATO intelligence services have labeled these events part of a broader “hybrid warfare” strategy, one meant to destabilize Europe, erode Ukrainian support, and stir public chaos.
Living with Conviction
For Sergei and Tatyana, the fight is no longer about Ukraine or Russia—it’s about preserving a personal sense of right and wrong. “Only if it starts showing some humanity,” Sergei said when asked if he’d ever return to Russia, a country he no longer recognizes. Whether Lithuania grants them asylum remains uncertain, but their defiance in the face of authoritarian pressure is already a form of victory.
Their story is not just about espionage or escape. It is a warning to Europe: the Kremlin’s reach is growing bolder, and those brave enough to resist may be left to fend for themselves.
