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Yevgeniya Kurochkina is said to be a Russian spy - just like "Red Sparrow".
SDA/blue News
Cell phone data and chat logs point to Yevgeniya Kurochkina as "Red Sparrow". She is said to have been involved in murder, kidnappings and Marsalek's spy network - a thriller with a real background.
In the film, "Red Sparrow" is a CIA heroine, played by Jennifer Lawrence. The blockbuster grossed 150 million euros. In reality, however, behind the code name is a highly dangerous agent who is associated with spectacular espionage operations - and with ex-wirecard manager Jan Marsalek.
Analyses of cell phone data, chat logs and other evidence strongly suggest that the Russian Yevgeniya Kurochkina is behind "Red Sparrow" in reality. This is shown by research from "Der Spiegel", "The Insider", ZDF, PBS Frontline and "Der Standard".
According to the research, her CV lists skills such as "close combat techniques" and the safe handling of firearms. She may also have been involved in the failed kidnapping of a Russian dissident and the brutal Tiergarten murder in Berlin.
Kurochkina is also said to be closely connected to Marsalek. She worked directly for the secret service man Stanislaw Petlinski, who is said to have introduced Marsalek to the world of the Russian intelligence services years ago.
After the Wirecard collapse in summer 2020, Marsalek fled to Moscow, where a cover identity as a priest awaited him. Kurochkina is said to have applied for the false passport. She also took him to Crimea in a minibus.
In Russia, Marsalek continued his espionage activities for the Russian secret service FSB. According to research, his cell phone was located more than 300 times within eleven months in the vicinity of the FSB headquarters in Moscow. A few months after his escape, he was already running a ring of agents in Europe.
The group, consisting of Bulgarian men and women, had settled in Great Britain. Its leader: IT specialist Orlin Roussev, an old acquaintance of Marsalek's. In spring 2023, the British authorities intervened, arrested the agents and later sentenced them to several years in prison. During the raids, investigators seized hundreds of SIM cards, more than 200 phones, drones, listening devices and tens of thousands of chats between Roussev and Marsalek.
Particularly explosive: the plan to kidnap security officer Kirill Kachur, who had fled Russia, in Montenegro. In court in London, one of the people involved explained that she had been told that Kachur had embezzled money. She met two people who claimed to be Kachur's victims - presumably Russian spies. Evidence suggests that "Red Sparrow" played one of these false victim roles.
On December 29, 2021, Kurochkina landed in Montenegro via Istanbul. The Bulgarian agent ring was informed of her arrival. Marsalek informed them that Kachur could die in an emergency, but that it would be better to transfer her to Moscow. In the end, the operation was aborted. However, Kachur reports receiving threats to this day.
The murder of Selimchan Khangoshvili in Berlin also leads to Kurochkina. Khangoshvili, a Georgian asylum seeker, was shot dead by FSB agent Vadim Krassikov in the Tiergarten park on August 23, 2019 - with a converted Glock including a silencer.
Kurochkina was in Berlin ten days before the murder, Krasikov arrived four days after her. She left the city a day later. In security circles, she is considered a "Glock converter", her telephone number was found in a cell phone. There are indications that she may have handed over the murder weapon.
Krassikov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Berlin, but was transferred to Russia in the summer of 2024 as part of a prisoner exchange. Vladimir Putin received him there in person.
The Tiergarten murder is not considered a success in Russia - too many mistakes plagued the operation. An analysis of these mishaps was written by the former Austrian constitutional protector Egisto Ott, whose house was searched and relevant documents were found. Ott is said to have been in close contact with Marsalek for years.
Ott is also said to have been connected to the Bulgarian spy ring. Marsalek had an aide drive to the apartment of Ott's ex-son-in-law twice, where the cell phones of three top Austrian officials and an encrypted laptop were handed over. These devices were later allegedly taken to Moscow by Marsalek's partner.
In Vienna, the Bulgarians also observed the investigative journalist Christo Grozev for months. Grozev had identified Krassikov as the Tiergarten murderer for Bellingcat. Marsalek talked to his people about how Grozev could be kidnapped or killed. Ott is said to have asked for Grozev's registered address beforehand. However, he denies any connection with Marsalek.
The Vienna public prosecutor's office has now brought charges against Ott - for espionage and abuse of office. He rejects all accusations and is presumed innocent. However, Ott is unlikely to have ever met the "Red Sparrow" himself.
