All posts in category Intelligence

What’s the state of Russian foreign espionage?

Still pretty healthy, it seems.

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 28, 2010
Ten Alleged Secret Agents Arrested in the United States

Eight individuals were arrested Sunday for allegedly carrying out long-term, “deep-cover” assignments in the United States on behalf of the Russian Federation, the Justice Department announced today. Two additional defendants were also arrested Sunday for allegedly participating in the same Russian intelligence program within the United States.

In total, 11 defendants, including the 10 arrested, are charged in two separate criminal complaints with conspiring to act as unlawful agents of the Russian Federation within the United States. Federal law prohibits individuals from acting as agents of foreign governments within the United States without prior notification to the U.S. Attorney General. Nine of the defendants are also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

(more…)

by Mark Galeotti on June 28, 2010  •  Permalink
Posted in Intelligence, Security

Posted by Mark Galeotti on June 28, 2010

https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/whats-the-state-of-russian-foreign-espionage/

Korabelnikov leaves Russian military intelligence

On 24 April 2009, General Valentin Korabelnikov was replaced by his deputy, Lt. General Alexander Shlyakhturov, as head of the GRU, Russian military intelligence (technically, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff). (more…)

by Mark Galeotti on April 26, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in GRU, Intelligence, Military - Russia

Posted by Mark Galeotti on April 26, 2009

https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/korabelnikov-leaves-russian-military-intelligence/

‘Contract killing is a continuation of business by other means’

It goes against the grain, but sometimes – rarely – I feel Putin and the Russian security apparatus deserve to be given the benefit of the doubt. On 6 October, the interesting but often-sensationalist Russian newspaper Novaya gazeta ran an article ‘Registered Speciality – the Killer’ which claimed that the Russian spetsluzhby, the security agencies, now routinely murder enemies of the Kremlin. The author, Novaya gazeta’s military affairs editor Vyacheslav Izmailov, pulls together a varied collection of killings and kidnappings and asserts that the same sinister hand is behind them all.

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by Mark Galeotti on October 11, 2008  •  Permalink
Posted in Chechnya, Crime, Intelligence, Organized Crime - Russia, Security
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by Mark Galeotti on October 11, 2008

https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/contract-killing-is-a-continuation-of-business-by-other-means/

The Intelligence War over South Ossetia

I’m interested by the continuing debate as to whether Russian intelligence proved effective or faulty over South Ossetia. My view is that Moscow undoubtedly won the intel war and what follows is based on an earlier article I wrote for Jane’s Intelligence Digest (http://jid.janes.com/public/jid/index.shtml).

Even before the Georgian attack that triggered the Russian invasion of 7 August, there had been an upsurge in intelligence and counter-intelligence work by the various antagonists. Eduard Kokoity, president of the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia, claimed on 4 August that Georgian intelligence officers were preparing ‘acts of terrorism.’ Possibly; certainly there have been several bomb attacks in the region, although if so, they really should have concentrated on trying to block the Roki tunnel linking North and South Ossetia. It seems that the Georgians launched an unsuccessful military attack on the tunnel in the early stages of the conflict, but were blocked by Russian and South Ossetian forces, but the tunnel could have been sabotaged in advance.

(more…)

by Mark Galeotti on August 28, 2008  •  Permalink
Posted in Intelligence, Security
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by Mark Galeotti on August 28, 2008

https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/the-intelligence-war-over-south-ossetia/

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