The Old Bailey, England and Wales' main criminal court, has heard a case revealing the Kremlin’s influence on European politicians. Natan Gill, a 52-year-old former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing Wales, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery in September 2025. The case covers the period of 2018-2019, during which Gill received between £30,000 and £40,000 in cash from entities linked to pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
Gill’s handler was Oleh Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian MP, with the transfers documented through WhatsApp messages and an FBI-led investigation in cooperation with UK security services. Gill was detained in 2021 while attempting to fly to Moscow, ultimately being sentenced in 2024 to 10 years and 6 months in prison.
Gill actively promoted pro-Russian messages in the European Parliament, defended Medvedchuk's media outlets, and organized events involving Ukrainian and Russian politicians. The court paid special attention to the funding of other European politicians, incentivized to participate in subversive activities serving Moscow’s interests. Money was channelled in cash, cryptocurrency, loans, and commercial deals.
After Medvedchuk’s arrest in 2022, his influence network rebranded as Voice of Europe, used to target the 2024 European elections. Hundreds of thousands of euros were allegedly paid to politicians in Germany, France, Poland, and other European countries, with Czech authorities confirming the involvement of AfD’s number two candidate, Petr Bystron, receiving cash from Voice of Europe operatives.
European intelligence services and national prosecutors uncovered a multi-layered system of recruitment, funding, and coordination to spread Kremlin narratives in the West. The trial serves as a warning about the importance of controlling political financing and countering foreign influence. The verdict stated that parliamentary immunity must not shield betrayal, nor should freedom of speech include paid dissemination of hostile propaganda.
