Spanish justice Joaquin Aguirre, investigating Russian interference in Catalonia, extended the investigation for another 6 months. This information was provided by, among others, the German televisions Saarländischer Rundfunk (SWR), the Barcelona El Periodico diary and the OCCRP investigative portal (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project). According to the case file, on October 27, 2017, then Catalan Prime Minister Carles Puigdemont declared independency of the region. Just a day earlier, Puidgemont accepted an envoy from Russian president Vladimir Putin, behind closed doors. He was to offer him respective billion dollars (**in any sources there is an amount of up to 500 billion**) as part of support for the pursuit of secession. In return, Catalonia would become 1 of the largest taxation havens and the centre of cryptocurrency trading. possible **military support in the form of 10,000 mercenaries** was besides offered. Puidgemont turned it down.
