David S. Khakim

It’s good that Rita Flores didn’t kill Petya Verzilov. I have never met Rita in person, I first got in touch with Rita after her apartment was searched in February 2023 — I offered to help. I do that whenever someone suffers because of their connections to Pussy Riot, even if I don’t know the person. I’m a mother duck, after all. Rita was still in Russia; I was already outside the country. I offered to help her leave Russia. Rita replied that she absolutely did not want to. As it emerged a few days ago, that was precisely when she began working for the FSB. I learned that Rita had been recruited by the FSB the same way everyone else did — from the interview she released in the press two days ago. We never worked together as Pussy Riot activists, and she was not part of the circle of people I trusted. Luckily, this means she was not part of group chats, planning, or even casual discussion. One of our few interactions, she inquired about Peter’s whereabouts in 2024. According to her interview this was prior to the plot to kidnap and kill Peter, my friend, and father of my daughter, who has been working with the Ukrainian military since 2022. In 2011, when we were forming Pussy Riot, there was a saying, “anyone can be pussy riot”. Some things did not age so well. In 2026, in this 5th year of full scale violence and aggression against Ukraine, there must be much stronger moral lines. There is only one answer to this and that is the absolute defeat of Russia, half measures will not get the free world anywhere. This is war. Their spies will continue to hatch bombings and murder plots like this in Europe with responses of “deep concern” of the so called “hybrid war” in Europe. Peter chose his side, and they wanted him dead. For my part, I have tried my best to be on the right side. Rita for three years chose hers. I will not be in contact with her in the future. I hope she and her lawyer work with local authorities to expose the spies and murderers that may still be operating within dissident circles. - Nadya Tolokonnikova