[2] On 27 February 2022, González was arrested by Polish authorities near the border with Ukraine, and was later accused of being a Russian spy and a GRU agent.

[11] He worked at a ZiL automobile factory and married a Russian woman named Galina, with whom he had two children, including Elena.

Rubtsov communicated with his handlers using advanced proprietary encryption software called "NEXUS", never used public Wi-Fi networks and preferred personal meetings outside of Schengen area.

[2] In February 2022 Rubtsov was instructed to travel to Ukraine, where he was briefly detained by border force, but released after 12 hours due to lack of evidence for any wrongdoing.

He complained to his colleagues that he was unable to make any recordings because his group was not allowed to bring any electronic equipment to inside the factory.

[16][better source needed] According to Polish authorities, Pablo González was detained in the border city of Przemyśl on the night of 27–28 February 2022 on charges of participating in foreign intelligence activities against Poland.

[17] A search of his digital media by police found detailed reports on the activities of former opposition leader Boris Nemtsov's daughter, as well as people from her entourage.

He was unable to communicate with his lawyer Gonzalo Boye or with his family, a practice against which journalists and Spanish politicians protested to the Polish authorities and to the Foreign office of Spain.

[18][14] The Committee to Protect Journalists requested the Polish authorities provide him suitable access to legal representation and to a just and transparent procedure.