Russian spies Artem and Anna Dultsev, who were arrested in Slovenia and later returned to Russia during the latest prisoner exchange, were secretly awarded Orders of Courage by a presidential decree. This became known from a publication in the magazine «Scout», discovered by the «Agency»*. Journalists could not find Putin's decree on awarding the spies either on the Kremlin's website or in the «Garant» system.
The informational reference contained data on the award, but did not specify the date or reason why the failed spies received the order. Slovenian intelligence services believe that the couple were «sleeper agents» for a long time and «woke up» only in 2022, and a few months later they were already detained.
The Order of Courage is awarded to Russians who «demonstrated selflessness, courage, and bravery in maintaining public order, fighting crime, rescuing people in emergencies, as well as for bold and decisive actions performed in the line of military, civil, or official duty under conditions involving a risk to life». Individuals awarded three Orders of Courage may be nominated for the title of Hero of Russia.
Artem and Anna Dultsev were detained in 2022 in Slovenia, where they lived under the guise of a married couple from Argentina. In 2024, they returned to Russia with their two children during a large-scale prisoner exchange. Meanwhile, in the magazine «Scout», Anna Dultsev herself calls her work in Slovenia a failure.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».
Photo: RIA Novosti