Leaked photographs taken by an unnamed European security service appear to show the involvement of two members of the Russian state intelligence service in a coup attempt in Montenegro last year. 

The failed coup attempt coincided with Montenegro’s October 2016 general election, and prosecutors say the plan was to take the parliament by force and assassinate the country’s then prime minister Milo Djukanovic. His government had led Montenegro towards Nato membership, angering Moscow which previously had a close relationship with the small Balkan state. 

Two Russians — Eduart Shishmakov, also known as Sirokov, and Vladimir Popov — have already been indicted by Montenegro’s prosecution for organising the coup.

Now Sky News has obtained photos taken as part of an undercover operation in the days following the unsuccessful coup. They show that the two Russians were in Belgrade around the time of the plot — one picture shows them sitting together on a park bench. Another shows Sirokov with another suspect, the Serb Aleksandar Sindjelic. Sindjelic has already admitted he participated in the plot and revealed that he had been hired by Sirokov.

He was among 20 Serbian paramilitaries arrested by Montenegrin police on October 15 on suspicion of planning to disrupt the general election the next day. Most of them agreed to testify in exchange for shorter jail sentences. During the investigation, the prosecution revealed that two of the leaders of the pro-Russian opposition Democratic Front (DF), two Russians and several Serbs were involved in the plot.

The prosecution has accused the two Russians, who are allegedly members of the GRU, Russian military intelligence, of organising the plot. Sirokov was also accused of “preparing acts against the constitutional order and security of Montenegro through incitement” and terrorism. According to earlier media reports, the prosecution has also discovered that Sirokov is a member of the Russian security services.

Both Moscow and the DF have repeatedly denied any involvement in the coup and claimed this was part of the efforts of Djukanovic’s ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) to win the election. 

Djukanovic said in an interview with Associated Press that the coup was part of Russia's efforts to destroy the European Union. He added that by its interventions in Montenegro, Moscow wants to demonstrate to the West that Europe and Nato cannot expand without its consent. Montenegro, however, joined Nato on June 5.