Former UK Right-Wing Party Leader Nathan Gill Pleads Guilty to Pro-Russian Bribery Scheme

Nathan Gill, former leader of the right-wing populist Reform UK party in Wales, has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a pro-Russian politician while serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), BBC reported on September 26.

The 52-year-old from Anglesey admitted to eight counts of bribery between December 2018 and July 2019. Gill was paid by Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian parliamentarian with ties to Russian interests, to make pro-Russian statements in parliament and arrange events with pro-Russian politicians.

Gill’s activities, which included defending Russian-linked Ukrainian TV channels and supporting Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent pro-Russian figure, were uncovered after investigators found WhatsApp messages on his phone.

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Medvedchuk, a former pro-Russian politician, was arrested in Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. He was later exchanged for Russian prisoners in a prisoner swap.

He is also known for his close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is the godfather of his daughter.

The messages revealed an agreement between Gill and Voloshyn to receive money in exchange for his support of Russian narratives within the European Parliament, according to BBC.

One of the bribery incidents involved Gill defending TV channels 112 Ukraine and NewsOne in December 2018, which were linked to Medvedchuk and had ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Gill also arranged for other MEPs to speak to these channels and supported Medvedchuk, who was facing criminal charges in Ukraine.

The case came to light after Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport in 2021 under counter-terrorism laws. The investigation, led by the Met’s counter-terrorism command, found that Gill had been receiving payments to promote pro-Russian messages in Europe, BBC reported.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood said the guilty plea was a positive outcome, with charges reflecting Gill’s criminal activities.

Gill will be sentenced in November, with expectations of a significant prison term. His defense acknowledged the inevitable sentence, and Gill remains on bail until the next hearing, according to BBC.

Previously, it was reported that Russia’s increasing focus on undersea espionage is causing concern among European officials. Moscow’s military spy vessel, Yantar, has been involved in a series of operations that target critical underwater infrastructure, including NATO's communication cables and energy pipelines.

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