“Police in Catalonia, Spain today launched Operation Volhov, to take down the support infrastructure for Carles Puigdemont, the independence leader now in exile in Belgium. The judge has pointed out that Putin offered Puigdemont 10,000 soldiers and to pay off Catalan debt… Putin offered to put 10,000 soldiers at Puigdemont’s disposal to help gain independence and to pay off Catalan debt. Officials have recordings of these offers (which they obtained during a secret investigation). Russia also offered to help with a disinformation and destabilization operation, aimed at creating the perception that the EU was weak and at risk of collapse.”
“Judge points out that the disinformation campaign that swirled around the independence referendum in Catalonia was coordinated with Assange and Russian outlets like Sputnik and RT. One of the men arrested today visited Assange at the Ecuador Embassy in London. Victor Terradellas, according to the judge, was the main go between for Puigdemont and Russia in the run up to the independence referendum. Those arrested are being charged with embezzlement, money laundering, influence peddling, and more” – Politico writer and former CIA officer Alex Finley describing a report in a Spanish newspaper on a police crackdown on Catalan separatists.