Not only Israel and Qatar: a European leader admitted — received a bribe from Russia.

Former Member of the European Parliament and leader of the “Reform” party in Wales, Nathan Gill, has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes. This statement was made following revelations that he received money for publishing materials supporting Russia’s position on Ukraine.

On Friday, at the Old Bailey court in London, Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery committed between December 2018 and July 2019. He admitted to receiving funds from Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshin to promote positions aligned with Russia’s interests. Specifically, Gill wrote analytical articles for the media and made statements in the European Parliament that were developed according to the instructions provided to him.

One of the channels Gill collaborated with was “112 Ukraine.” This pro-Russian channel was banned in Ukraine in 2021, shortly before the start of Russian aggression against the country.

Gill, 52, living in Llangenech (Anglesey County), according to the prosecution, received requests from Voloshin at least eight times to prepare special statements for cash. A charge of conspiracy to commit bribery was also part of his case but was dropped when the prosecution decided not to pursue it.

Gill previously represented the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and then joined Nigel Farage’s “Brexit Party” from 2014 to 2020. After the party was renamed “Reform UK,” he led the election campaign in Wales for the 2021 local elections, but soon after the electoral failure, he left the party. According to the party, Gill has not been a member since that time.

London police noted the seriousness of the crime committed. Dominic Murphy, head of the counter-terrorism department, stated that the investigation showed that the elected Member of the European Parliament received money for promoting narratives aimed at protecting Russian interests. This poses a direct threat to the democratic values of society.

Gill was arrested in September 2021 on suspicion of crimes related to anti-terrorism legislation. The sentence is expected to be announced in November this year.