International
The laundering of 120 million from the sale of weapons to Obiang, close to an agreed sentence
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office negotiates with the Russian businessman settled in Gran Canaria Vladimir Kokorev a conviction of conformity for the laundering of the undeclared 120 million euros that he claims he earned between 1999 and 2014, a profit that he attributes to the illegal sale of weapons to the regime of Teodoro Obiang in Equatorial Guinea.
On Monday, the sixth section of the Las Palmas Court plans to hold a first hearing on the so-called ‘Kokorev case’ after having rejected the request of the defenses to cede this file to the National Court, which already accumulates 16 years of history.
It is the Prosecutor’s Office itself that has announced that the hearing of May 19 is convened only “for compliance purposes,” because it is negotiating with the defenses an agreed conviction whose terms it assures that it will reveal that same day, if the defendants accept them.
Until now, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office had been requesting eight years in prison and a fine of 240 million euros for Vladimir Kokorev, whom he accuses of having laundered millionaire profits allegedly obtained from selling military equipment to Equatorial Guinea at prices that included “notorious cost overres”.
His wife, Yulia Maleeva, and his son Igor Kokorev face the same facts, for whom he demands six years in prison and a fine of 150 million.
The charges on which the Spanish Justice can demand responsibility from the Kokorev are limited to the crime of money laundering by the conditions that Panama put in 2015 to extradite them, when they were arrested in that country.
In an indictment to which EFE has had access, the Prosecutor’s Office describes Vladimir Kokorev as the “head of a transnational criminal organization” dedicated to the “corrupt trade in military defense equipment and dual use”.
Anti-corruption assures that the Kokorevs managed to generate “an illicit million wealth of at least 120 million euros, in the period between 1999 and 2014”, supplying “weapons of war” to the Government of Teodoro Obiang, at a time when Equatorial Guinea was forming its naval forces.
Through the accounts of its corporate network, he continues, they reached a circulation of 678.92 million euros from 59 transfers made by the Public Treasury of Equatorial Guinea and a company called Abayak SA.
The prosecutor even details in his letter that Vladimir Kokorev has links with the criminal organization of “a citizen of the Russian Federation convicted of illegal trafficking and smuggling weapons for carrying out the sale to China and Iran of cruise missiles with nuclear loading capacity.”
“That activity (with Equatorial Guinea), never declared and always hidden,” says the Prosecutor’s Office, was carried out through two Panamanian companies (Kalunga Company SA and Intracoastal Trading) and another of the Scheychelles Islands (SJ Marine Company Ltd.)”, which gave “coverage” to the “multiple contracts” concluded by Vladimir Kokorev.
“All made with notorious overcost and overbilling imputed to the Public Treasury of Malabo, for the sale of military weapons, war and naval infrastructure, sold in collusion with officials and senior military dignitaries to the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea,” he continues.
Anti-corruption also formulates the same charges against a lawyer from Gran Canaria who allegedly collaborated in money laundering, Juan José Arencibia, and two sisters of this one, for whom he asks for sentences of five years in prison and fines of 100, ten and seven million euros.
In the order that ended the investigation in May 2021, Court number 5 of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria estimated at 450 million euros the income that the Kokorev would have obtained from selling to Equatorial Guinea “ships, combat helicopters, armored vehicles, military corvettes, patrol boats, frigates, fighter jets, bombers and dual-use military weapons.”
For the investigator, there were indications to take the case of the judgment that the Kokorev and their collaborators earned 100 million “inflating the costs” of that material, with the collaboration of two advisors and three relatives of Obiang in charge of the Armed Forces or the Guinean Government (a son-in-law, a cousin and a nephew), of which she said in that order that they received commissions from the defendants.
To date, businessman Vladimir Kokorev has always denied that neither he, nor his wife Yulia Maleeva, nor his son Igor Kokorev have bribed or paid commissions to relatives and advisors of the president of Equatorial Guinea to facilitate the sale of weapons to that country.
The family assures that trade relations with Equatorial Guinea were established by Vladimir Kokorev, without the participation of his wife or son; they were not illegal and consisted of the supply of “ships for the transport of goods and people, as well as helicopters, patrol boats and other goods.”
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
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