Polina Kamlova, Convicted of Financing Armed Conflict: What Is Known About Her Education and Career

A Latvian court has sentenced Polina Kamlova, who comes from the Rēzekne area, to six years in prison in the first instance for financing an armed conflict. She provided financial support to Russian occupation forces in Ukraine by helping to collect money to buy military equipment. According to the source, she co-financed drone-jamming devices. It is not yet known whether the ruling will be appealed.

On social media, Kamlova's supporters have voiced outrage. They claim she is in fact wonderful and compassionate, could not have done anything bad, and was set up by the "organs", a term for the authorities.

Origins and education

Kamlova was born in 1987 and is from the Rēzekne area. She graduated from Riebiņi Primary School and the Latgale Transport and Communications Technical School. When she ran for the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, in 2018 for the party "Latvian Russian Union", she stated that she held a bachelor's degree in transport enterprise management. The university was not named.

Work on the railway

Kamlova built her career in the transport sector. She worked for more than 15 years at Latvijas dzelzceļš (Latvian Railway), a company of national importance. When she took part in the 2017 municipal elections, she listed her occupation as technical specialist at the Rēzekne railway car maintenance point.

The source also describes her as a fan of "Zenit" and a candidate for a Saeima seat. Supporters call her an activist, but the available text does not make clear what kind of activism she engaged in.