Slovak PM’s adviser was brought to Moscow by foundation that recruits foreigners for Russian military intelligence

Russian State Duma MP Leonid Slutsky, acting on behalf of the GRU-linked “Russian Peace Foundation” (RPF), brought close associate and legal adviser of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Moscow in March of this year. Fico himself visited Moscow shortly afterward for the May 9 Victory Day parade, then announced support for a referendum to lift sanctions on Russia. He followed that up by vetoing an EU sanctions package that would have banned purchases of Russian energy resources.

How David Lindtner came to Moscow

The Fico associate in question is David Lindtner. There was not a single mention of Lindtner’s visit in Russian state media or official press releases, The Insider found. Accompanying him was MEP and Smer party deputy chairman Ľuboš Blaha, known for his pro-Russian views. In Moscow, Blaha met with Russia’s foreign intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin and claimed in a dramatic Telegram post that they had discussed the assassination attempt on Fico, as well as the topic of “Soros’s conspirators.”

Blaha also shared photos and videos showing Lindtner’s presence. Investigative outlets VSquare and the Ján Kuciak Investigative Center found that on Feb. 21, Slutsky, on behalf of the RPF, sent a letter to the Russian embassy in Bratislava requesting a double-entry visa for Lindtner valid from Feb. 24 to May 24, 2025. The letter described Lindtner’s proposed visit as being part of negotiations on humanitarian and charitable programs organized by Slutsky’s foundation.

On social media, however, Blaha described a different purpose, saying Lindtner came as a legal adviser to Fico and planned to hold talks with Russian partners about alleged legal violations in Slovakia committed by critics of Fico’s government.

Shortly after his associates’ trip, Fico himself traveled to Moscow for the May 9 Victory Day parade. A week later, he announced that he would support a referendum that called for lifting sanctions against Russia and said Slovakia would veto any European Union proposal to institute a total ban on the import of Russian energy resources. On June 23, Hungary and Slovakia blocked the adoption of the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia — a package that included, among other measures, a ban on importing Russian gas and petroleum products, even via third countries.

What is the “Russian Peace Foundation” and what are its links to the GRU?

In 2023, The Insider revealed that the RPF systematically shares data on its foreign guests with Russia’s GRU, especially with its first “European” directorate, which is responsible for espionage and agent recruitment abroad.

Internal GRU correspondence obtained by The Insider contained files that included the copies of passports belonging to foreign scholars, educators, and social and religious figures who had been invited to Russia by the foundation. This information was used to analyze and potentially recruit individuals of operational interest to Russian intelligence.

Leonid Slutsky has led the populist, ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia since 2022, following its founder Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s death. In 2023, The Insider reported on Slutsky’s ties to Maria Khodynskaya-Golenishcheva, a known GRU agent. Prior to 2010, she went by the surname Konovalova and is the daughter of Sergei Konovalov, deputy chairman of the “Combat Brotherhood” (“Boyevoe Bratstvo”) veterans’ organization.

In 2015, Khodynskaya-Golenishcheva served as second secretary at Russia’s permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva and took part in negotiations between the official Damascus delegation and the Syrian opposition. Correspondence between Khodynskaya-Golenishcheva and Sergei Zavidov, an officer of the GRU’s 4th Directorate, revealed that she had been recruited by Russian military intelligence and had provided the GRU with operational data, including maps showing the positions of armed units in Syria. This intelligence reportedly led to airstrikes that caused civilian casualties.

Slutsky’s close ties to Russian intelligence are further underscored by a commemorative token he received in September 2023 from the 24th Separate Spetsnaz Brigade of the GRU. The unit, which previously fought in Syria and is currently deployed in Ukraine, thanked Slutsky for his “patriotism and service to the Motherland.”

Slutsky’s Russian Peace Foundation has also helped establish connections with radical European groups — ranging from France’s Yellow Vests movement to Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD, “Alternative for Germany”) party. The foundation organized international events, including forums under the auspices of UNESCO, which brought together academics, civil society leaders, and politicians from the U.S., Canada, Belgium, Spain, Italy, India, and Brazil. Information on participants, including passport copies, was passed along to the GRU for further analysis.