Russian spies in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Last updated

In the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War, in the time leading up to and after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, a number of citizens of the Russian Federation and of other nationalities working for Russia have been identified publicly as spies or agents of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russia's foreign intelligence service (SVR) or the third intelligence arm, the military intelligence service (GRU). Each arm having their own remits. [1] [2]

Contents

Termed "illegals", operatives without diplomatic accreditation, agents often spend years building up false identities, living a quiet life, though sometimes they then move location/country with their partner, who may or may not know of their espionage activities and any children, who will not know of any nefarious activities. They can be hard to identify, resembling normal people. [2]

The threat of spies has been increasing in Europe, most of which are Russian. [3] "Counterintelligence efforts to look for illegals had intensified recently".“The breadth of Moscow’s spying operations made it a unique threat", said Janez Stušek, director of Slovenia's SOVA intelligence agency until June 2022. [4]

Effectiveness of Russian spies

Whilst it is clear that the opinion of Russian operatives regarding the willingness of Ukraine to enter into, and the preparedness of Ukraine for war, was a catastrophic failure, with the Russian military in February 2022 expecting to be welcomed with open arms, this is in part due to the fact that Russia's covert attempts to destabilise Ukraine in the second half of 2021 and early 2022 were a failure. [5] There was also a Russian intelligence failure to comprehend the West's willingness to support Ukraine in the long term. In diplomatic circles we see failures, mainly due to the mass expulsion of diplomats. There have however been some successes, in cyber warfare, in the media and on the ground in occupied areas of Ukraine. [6] It is much harder to determine effectiveness of spies on the ground in other countries.

Legals

In addition to ‘’illegals’’, over 600 Russian diplomats have been identified and been declared ‘’persona non grata’’ in 2022 and 2023 and had their accreditation cancelled, with a number being described as ‘’intelligence officers masquerading as diplomats’’ or "national security" concerns. [7] These expulsions of diplomats normally came at a cost, with retaliation by Russia against diplomats based at embassies in Russia.

The head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service ("MI6"), Richard Moore, reported that roughly half of Russia's spies working under diplomatic cover were expelled from Europe by July 2022. [8]

Illegals

Deep-cover spies, or ‘’illegals’’, a term for intelligence agents operating without diplomatic cover, have been uncovered in a number of countries. Resembling normal people, many have been uncovered through a combination of their recent activities and heightened awareness by the authorities. [2]

In the 1920's the Soviet Union was not recognised by many countries and was therefore not given diplomatic representation. The interior ministry of the Soviet Union (NKVD) sent people overseas giving them false documentation and instructions to settle into their new country and acquire contacts that might be useful in the future. The KGB used the same system from the 1950's. [9] In Russia they are called razvedchik, an approximation of the word ‘scout’.

Russia is almost unique in the way it changes the nationality of its Russian born officers and gives them years to build up a false identity in another country, before being called forward to undertake a specific task that may take decades to complete. The number of Russian illegals is not thought to be high, probably less than 100, worked by GRU and SVR with their main aim to get close to political, cultural, industrial and military organisations to enable them to "talent spot", identify people who might be recruited by others. [10]

"Illegals" also cover locals recruited by Russia, espionage groups sent from Russia or other countries sympathetic to Russia to countries and migrant asylum-seekers who have been persuaded to collect intelligence. [11]

Albania

In August 2022, three people, two Russians and one Albanian openly climbed over a wall of a weapons factory, were spotted by guards, whom they attacked with a chemical spray, before being arrested. One supposedly admitted to being a Russian spy, the factory is currently used to repair weapons. The three are being held in detention. One, a woman, had asked for asylum, claiming she would be persecuted if returned to Russia. [12] [13] Albania agreed to the asylum claim. Mikhail Zorin, a Russian who had used the spray, remains in prison in May 2023, the others have been released.

Australia

In February 2023 a large spy ring whose members included those posing as diplomats, as well a deep-cover identity operatives was uncovered. Operating for 18 months it was broken by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). The people involved have had visas not renewed, or cancelled, forcing them to leave the country, rather than being expelled, to avoid retaliation against Australian diplomats. [14]

Austria

A 39-year-old Greek citizen was uncovered as a spy in Vienna in March 2022 when police raided a house and discovered tracking devices, bugs, a device for finding hidden listening devices and cameras as well as phones, tablets and laptops containing 10 million files and a hazmat suit. The individual, whose father was a former Russian intelligence agent who had been a diplomat in Germany and Austria, had trained in Russia and made 65 trips to other countries since 2018. With no visible income, he owns property in Greece, Austria and Russia and whilst being monitored was seen to use drop boxes to pass information to Russian embassy staff in Vienna. [15] [ citation needed ]

Belgium

Brazil

Police in Brazil are undertaking an investigation after three Russian spies have been identified recently with fake Brazilian identities. One, Cherkasov, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Brazil in July 2022 for identity fraud. (see Greece, Norway and USA) [20] An extradition request by the USA for Cherkasov was refused in July 2023 as Brazil had approved his extradition to Russia in April. The sentence was reduced by the court to 5 years. [21]

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

In September 2022 a senior Czechia diplomat, who worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was reportedly caught handing confidential information to Russia. Believed to be a mole who had been working with the Russians for a number of years, he had been under surveillance for some time. [32]

Estonia

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, a GRU agent used the alias Victor Muller Ferreira while living in Ireland for four years and maintained a bank account there to provide support for his application to go to university in the USA in 2018. [60] (see also Brazil, Netherlands and USA)

Italy

Latvia

Mexico

A Mexican citizen, Hector Cabrera Fuentes, who lived a double life with a family in Russia as well as Mexico was arrested in the USA when collecting information about a Russian born, but now an American citizen, who had previously provided information about the Russian government, that Russia purportedly wanted to kill. Fuentes admitted the plot and was sentenced in June 2022 to 4 years for not registering as a foreign agent. [70] [71]

Moldova

Montenegro

In September 2022 an investigation linked six Russian diplomats with twenty eight Russian citizens holding temporary visas for Montenegro and two local citizens in a spy investigation. The diplomats were expelled. [80] The Russian citizens were later banned from Montenegro and the two locals, one an ex-diplomat, face charges of illegal weapons, organising a criminal organisation and espionage. [81]

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Serbia

On 11 July 2023 the US sanctioned Aleksandar Vulin, a Serbian politician and head of the Serbian intelligence agency, due to his close connections to Russia and alleged illegal arms deals and other criminal activities. [104] In November 2023 Vulin resigned his position whilst denying involvement in illegal illegal arms shipments, drug trafficking and misuse of public office. [105]

Slovakia

In March 2022 two Slovak citizens were charged with spying and bribery, accused of obtaining highly sensitive, strategic and classified information about Slovakia, its armed forces and NATO and handed them over to Russian Embassy based undercover GRU officers in return for money. One, Colonel Pavel Buczyk, was the head of a Security and Defense Department at the Armed Forces Academy and had GRU contact going back 10 years. The other, Bohuš Garbár, worked for a pro-Russian conspiracy website known as Hlavne spravy. Both have confessed, Garbár has been sentenced to three years in jail and the diplomats in Russia's embassy were declared persona non grata. [106] [107]

Slovenia

In December 2022 two foreign nationals were arrested, now believed to be Russian citizens working for Russia's foreign intelligence service (SVR), under the false names of Maria Rosa Mayer Munos and Ludwig Gisch, they had used forged Argentinian passports to settle in Ljubljana with their children in 2017. A large amount of cash was seized. They are charged with espionage. [108] [4] In June 2023, the pair was named as Artem Viktorovich Dultsev and Anna Valerevna Dultseva. [109] (see also Greece)

Sweden

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States of America

Other areas of spying

Cross border assistance

The number of cases of cross border identification and arrest shows a close working relationship between different counter espionage and security forces, especially in NATO countries. MI5 confirmed that data about Russian agents is shared between European allies. [149]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GRU (Russian Federation)</span> Russian military intelligence agency

The Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formerly the Main Intelligence Directorate, and still commonly known by its previous abbreviation GRU, is the foreign military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The GRU controls the military intelligence service and maintains its own special forces units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Security Service</span> Principal security agency of Russia

The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is the principal security agency of Russia and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union's KGB; its immediate predecessor was the Federal Counterintelligence Service (FSK) which was reorganized into the FSB in 1995. The three major structural successor components of the former KGB that remain administratively independent of the FSB are the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the Federal Protective Service (FSO), and the Main Directorate of Special Programs of the President of the Russian Federation (GUSP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign Intelligence Service (Russia)</span> Russias primary external intelligence agency

The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation or FIS RF is Russia's external intelligence agency, focusing mainly on civilian affairs. The SVR RF succeeded the First Chief Directorate (PGU) of the KGB in December 1991. The SVR has its headquarters in the Yasenevo District of Moscow with its director reporting directly to the President of the Russian Federation.

Oleg Danilovich Kalugin is a former KGB general. He was during a time, head of KGB political operations in the United States and later a critic of the agency. After being convicted of spying for the West in absentia during a trial in Moscow, he remained in the US and was sworn in as a citizen on 4 August 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Montenegro</span>

In a referendum on 21 May 2006, the people of Montenegro opted to leave the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. This result was confirmed with a declaration of independence by the Montenegrin parliament on 3 June 2006. It simultaneously requested international recognition and outlined foreign policy goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austria–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations exist and existed between Austria and Russia and their predecessor states. Since October 1955, the Republic of Austria maintains the constitutionally-mandated status of neutrality; the country is a founding member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEEC). Austria joined the EU in 1995. Russia is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a partner of ASEAN, a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the G20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as well as the leading member state of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Both countries are members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norway–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Norway–Russia relations are the bilateral foreign relations between the two countries, Norway and Russia. The establishment of diplomatic relationships between the two countries happened on October 30, 1905, four days after the establishment of Norway's independence. Russia has an embassy in Oslo and consulates in Barentsburg and Kirkenes, and Norway has an embassy in Moscow, and consulates in Murmansk and Saint Petersburg. The countries are neighboring each other along a 195.7 km long border. Norway is on Russia's Unfriendly Countries List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Czech Republic–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Czech Republic–Russia relations are the bilateral foreign relations between the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation. Relations have substantially deteriorated in recent years due to events such as the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russian sabotage of Czech ammunition depot in Vrbětice in 2014, poisoning of Sergei Skripal in 2018 and Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Pyotr Semyonovich Popov was a colonel in the Soviet military intelligence apparatus (GRU). He was the first GRU officer to offer his services to the Central Intelligence Agency after World War II. Between 1953 and 1958, he provided the United States government with large amounts of information concerning military capabilities and espionage operations. He was codenamed ATTIC for most of his time with the CIA, and his case officer was George Kisevalter.

Russian espionage in the United States has occurred since at least the Cold War, and likely well before. According to the United States government, by 2007 it had reached Cold War levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal</span> 2018 attempted murder in Salisbury, England

The poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, also known as the Salisbury Poisonings, was a botched assassination attempt to poison Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military officer and double agent for the British intelligence agencies in the city of Salisbury, England on 4 March 2018. Sergei and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were poisoned by means of a Novichok nerve agent. Both spent several weeks in hospital in a critical condition, before being discharged. A police officer, Nick Bailey, was also taken into intensive care after attending the incident, and was later discharged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zelimkhan Khangoshvili</span> Georgian Chechen soldier and alleged war criminal (1979–2019)

Zelimkhan Sultanovich Khangoshvili was an ethnic Chechen born in Georgia who was a former platoon commander for the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as a volunteer during the Second Chechen War, and a Georgian military officer during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Later on, he allegedly turned into a useful source of information for the Georgian Intelligence Service by identifying Russian spies and jihadists operating on domestic and foreign soil to Georgian intelligence agents. Khangoshvili was considered a terrorist by the Government of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service, and wanted in Russia. On 23 August 2019, Khangoshvili was assassinated in Kleiner Tiergarten, a park in Berlin, by FSB operative Vadim Krasikov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Marsalek</span> Austrian fugitive businessman

Jan Marsalek is an Austrian fugitive businessman. From 2010 to 2020, he was chief operating officer of the German payment processing firm Wirecard, which became insolvent and collapsed in 2020. Marsalek was responsible for Wirecard's business in Asia, where the company admitted that nearly €2 billion in cash it supposedly held did not exist.

Sergey Orestovich Beseda is a Russian politician, Colonel General and government agent who has headed the Fifth Service of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) internal intelligence agency since 2009.

The Embassy of Russia in Dublin is the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Ireland.

Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, also known as Victor Muller Ferreira, is an alleged Russian intelligence officer working for the GRU, whose true identity was revealed by the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service in 2022. He was first sentenced by a Brazilian federal court to 15 years in prison for using a forged Brazilian government-issued document, but the sentence was later reduced to 5 years and 2 months.

There has for years been a controversial relationship between Austria and Russian intelligence. Due to domestic policies and a history of neutrality, Austria has for decades been a center for intelligence activities in Europe. Together with Belgium, it has been considered a hub for Russian intelligence.

In the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War, many Russian diplomats and embassy officials were declared personae non gratae by countries around the world in 2022, and many foreign diplomats were also formally asked to leave Russia after their accreditation was cancelled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonia–Ukraine relations</span> Bilateral relations between Ukraine and Estonia

Estonia and Ukraine established diplomatic relations on 4 January 1992. Relations between the two countries have remained consistently close, largely in part due to shared concerns of any aspirations of the Russian Federation. Estonia is a member of the European Union, which Ukraine applied for in 2022. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe.

During the Cold War, divided Germany had been a center of activity for the Soviet intelligence service, the KGB. It worked closely with the Ministry of State Security of the GDR and had a huge center in Berlin-Karlshorst, which controlled and coordinated KGB activities throughout Europe. After German reunification, networks of the Foreign Intelligence Service remained active in Germany. Russian espionage in Germany has increased again since the beginning of the deterioration in relations between the NATO states and the Russian Federation after the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, and more and more cases of Russian espionage have become publicly known. Following the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, espionage activities in the West are said to have reached or even exceeded Cold War levels. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the methods used by Russian services in Germany include cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation campaigns, covert influence operations and secret operations. The main targets of Russian espionage include digital, military and other critical infrastructure, as well as politics, business, society and science.

References

  1. "Cyber operations and the Russian intelligence services". 5 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Covers used by Russian Intelligence Services" . Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. "Threat of spies is increasing in Europe". 16 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Walker, Shaun (24 March 2023). "The 'ordinary' family at No 35: suspected Russian spies await trial in Slovenia". The Guardian.
  5. "Preliminary Lessons from Russia's Unconventional Operations During the Russo-Ukrainian War, February 2022 – February 2023". 29 March 2023.
  6. "Russian spies more effective than army, say experts". BBC News. 29 March 2023.
  7. "Nearly 600 Russian diplomats expelled from Western countries since February 2022". 26 January 2023.
  8. Sabbagh, Dan (21 July 2022). "Half of Russian spies in Europe expelled since Ukraine invasion, says MI6 chief". The Guardian.
  9. "nside the world of deep-cover spies that Russia is deploying to infiltrate the West". Business Insider . 27 November 2023.
  10. "Did a Russian spy operate out of two of Canada's universities?". 6 December 2022.
  11. "Migrants from Russia sent on spy assignments – Norwegian intelligence". 6 January 2024.
  12. "They sneaked into a derelict arms plant: instagrammers or spies?". 5 March 2023.
  13. "Russian detained in Albania on espionage charges seeks political asylum". 15 March 2023.
  14. "Australia uncovers Russian espionage ring, expels spies: Report". 24 February 2023.
  15. "Espionage in Vienna: Russian Spy Exposed". 19 December 2022.
  16. "Nato expels eight Russians from its mission for spying". BBC News. 7 October 2021.
  17. "Russia suspends NATO mission in retaliation for expelled diplomats". NBC News . 18 October 2021.
  18. "Identity of Russian diplomat-spy agents expelled from Belgium revealed". 15 July 2022.
  19. "Russian media uncovers military intelligence agent in Brussels facilitating defence equipment supply to Russia". 27 January 2024.
  20. "Federal Police Suspects Brazil Is Being Used to Train Russian Spies". 10 April 2023.
  21. "Brazil denies U.S. extradition request for alleged Russian spy Sergey Cherkasov". CBS News . 28 July 2023.
  22. https://www-24chasa-bg.translate.goog/bulgaria/article/11011467
  23. "Bulgaria torn between Russia and West". Deutsche Welle . 7 March 2022.
  24. "Reserve General Valentin Tsankov, accused of spying for Russia, was photographed at a rally in support of Stefan Yanev 2 days ago (Review)". 2 March 2022.
  25. Mitov, Boris; Lavchiev, Nikolay (21 March 2023). "Bulgarian Blasts, Russian Agents, And The War On Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  26. Walker, Shaun (1 August 2022). "Arms dealer '100% sure' Russian agents behind blast at Bulgarian depot". The Guardian.
  27. "Bulgaria's economy minister hints Russians attacked ammo factory". 3 July 2023.
  28. "Bulgarian Ex-Lawmaker Accused Of Spying For Russia Elected Chief Of Moscow-Backed Group". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 15 March 2023.
  29. "Bulgaria must rid its spy services of Russia-backed agents, says head of leading party". 28 June 2023.
  30. "Cautious optimism: What Bulgaria's new government means for Europe". 27 June 2023.
  31. "Bulgaria Expels One Russian, Two Belarusian Clerics Accused of Spying". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 21 September 2023.
  32. ""Czech law isn't good enough": Why mole for Russians may evade prosecution". 16 September 2022.
  33. "Former Russian Spy Seeks Asylum In Estonia". 18 November 2022.
  34. 1 2 "Five Russian Nationals, Including Suspected FSB Officer, and Two U.S. Nationals Charged with Helping the Russian Military and Intelligence Agencies Evade Sanctions". 13 December 2022.
  35. "Estonia extradites to US employee of FSB who smuggled military equipment". 14 July 2023.
  36. Samuel, Henry (21 October 2022). "Wife of Russian agent involved in Skripal poisonings tried to slip into France". The Telegraph.
  37. "Investigation uncovers ties between Silk Way Rally, Russian military and diplomatic activities". 24 April 2023.
  38. "Spy's confession sheds light on Russian espionage in Georgia". 8 August 2022.
  39. "German army reserve officer on trial over claims of spying for Russia". BBC News. 11 August 2022.
  40. 1 2 3 "Five Russian Nationals and Two Oil Traders Charged in Global Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering Scheme". 19 October 2022.
  41. Eckel, Mike (21 October 2022). "How Hard Is Russia Trying To Acquire Sensitive Western Military Technology? A U.S. Indictment Provides Clues". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  42. "German man arrested for allegedly passing intelligence to Russia". BBC News. 26 January 2023.
  43. Escritt, Thomas (13 December 2023). "Ukraine weapons treason case throws light on Russian spy threat to Germany". Reuters.
  44. "Germany, trial against the Russian intelligence spy: the co-accused testifies against the "mole"". 10 January 2024.
  45. "Germany: new details on the case of the Russian intelligence spy". 12 January 2024.
  46. "German Police Investigating Mysterious Illnesses Of Russian Activist, Journalist In Berlin". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 21 May 2023.
  47. "German official accused of spying for Russia". BBC News. 10 August 2023.
  48. Cumming, Ed (27 September 2023). "The elite Russian spy embedded in the heart of Europe". The Telegraph.
  49. "UK suspects Wirecard's Jan Marsalek of spying for Russia". Deutsche Welle . 26 September 2023.
  50. Baumgärtner, Maik; Chernyshev, Alexander; Lehberger, Roman; Müller, Ann-Katrin; Höfner, Roman; Wiedmann-Schmidt, Wolf (18 July 2023). "Moscow's Man in the Bundestag". Der Spiegel.
  51. "Bundestag aide found to have close ties to FSB - media". 2 February 2024.
  52. "Russian spy "Maria Tsalla" had travelled to Cyprus more than once". 3 April 2023.
  53. ""Maria Tsalla": The last communication of the Russian spy with Greece". 18 March 2023.
  54. "Two Deep-Cover Russian Spies Led Double Lives In Brazil And Greece. They Mysteriously Vanished This Year". 8 April 2023.
  55. 1 2 "Head of Dutch satellite technology firm arrested for spying". 18 May 2023.
  56. 1 2 "DOJ arrests four people in cases of U.S. tech theft for Russia, China, Iran". 16 May 2023.
  57. "Russian spies rebound in Europe". 4 April 2023.
  58. "GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF HUNGARY'S RUSSIAN SPYING PROBLEM". 30 November 2022.
  59. "DEMOCRACY DIGEST: HUNGARY'S BALANCING ACT TOPPLES AS IT ABANDONS RUSSIA 'SPY BANK'". 14 April 2023.
  60. "Suspected Russian spy transferred thousands from Irish bank account to pay US tuition fees, court papers claim". The Irish Times . 27 March 2023.
  61. "Italian officer sentenced to 30 years in jail over spying for Russia". 11 March 2023.
  62. "Italian Navy Officer In Russian Spying Case Gets 20 Yrs: Lawyer". 19 January 2024.
  63. "Maria Adela and Putin's other spies in Italy". 26 August 2022.
  64. 1 2 "Russian Secret Services Likely Helped Siberian Governor's Son Flee Italy". 28 March 2023.
  65. "Italian Court Approves Extradition to U.S. of Siberian Governor's Son". 21 March 2023.
  66. "Suspected taxi-driving Russian spy detained by Latvian security service". 18 August 2023.
  67. 1 2 "Russian citizen arrested in Latvia on suspicion of espionage". 3 January 2024.
  68. "Latvia Jails Ex-Interior Minister for Pro-Russia Spying". 10 November 2023.
  69. "Investigation: Latvian member of European Parliament allegedly Russian agent". 29 January 2024.
  70. "Man Who Acted as Russian Agent Sentenced to Federal Prison Term". 22 June 2022.
  71. "Russia plotted to kill defector in Florida: Report". 19 June 2023.
  72. 1 2 "Moldova's turn". 7 October 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  73. "Blasts tear through state security HQ in Moldova's breakaway region - TV". Reuters. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  74. "Moldova Condemns 'Russian Plan' to Regain Control of Country". 16 March 2023.
  75. "Moldovan Ex-President Dodon Freed From House Arrest, Vows To 'Continue Fight'". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 19 November 2022.
  76. "Moldova Smashes Pro-Moscow Subversion Ring – Police". 12 March 2023.
  77. "Vice-chair of Moldova's pro-Russian party detained at Chisinau Airport in possible attempt to escape justice". 1 May 2023.
  78. "Moldovan Intelligence Says it Has Cracked Russian Spy Network". 10 July 2023.
  79. "Insider: Deported Moldova Sputnik chief revealed as career GRU spy". 16 September 2023.
  80. "Six Russian Diplomats Expelled From Montenegro Amid Espionage Probe". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 30 September 2022.
  81. "Cigarettes smuggling in Montenegro, and strike on Russian spies ring". 13 February 2023.
  82. 1 2 "DOJ charges alleged Russian spy who used fake identity to enter U.S." 26 March 2023.
  83. "How did the network of "sleeping Russian spies" in Europe come to light?". 2 April 2023.
  84. "France accepts US extradition request of Greek-born Russian spy". 20 December 2023.
  85. "Norway charges man accused of being Russian spy". BBC News. 28 October 2022.
  86. "Man Accused Of Being Spy Admits He's Russian After Years Posing As Academic In Norway, Canada". Forbes . 14 December 2023.
  87. "More than $1000 per day of shooting military objects. How the Kremlin is recruiting spies in Norway under the guise of the Russian Geographical Society". 21 October 2023.
  88. 1 2 3 4 "Entire Russian spy network dismantled in Poland". BBC News. 16 March 2023.
  89. 1 2 "Warsaw's secret war against Moscow's spies: Poland's intelligence services have gone into overdrive to combat Putin's covert assault". 21 March 2023.
  90. "Alleged Moscow military spy revealed close to daughter of murdered Russian opposition leade". 2 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  91. "The Russian who was following Zhanna Nemtsova travelled together with a Russian military intelligence officer". 3 November 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  92. "Three more members of Russia's spy network detained in Poland". 28 March 2023.
  93. "Poland detains 9 people suspected of spying for Russia". Associated Press . 16 March 2023.
  94. "Poland detains three more suspects in Russian spy ring case: reports". 20 April 2023.
  95. "Russian ice hockey player detained in Poland over claims he's a spy". 30 June 2023.
  96. "Poland detains Ukrainian citizen over spying for Russia". 10 July 2023.
  97. "Internal Security Agency detains 16th suspected Russian spy - minister". 4 August 2023.
  98. "Russians built spy network in Poland reports US newspaper". 18 August 2023.
  99. "Poland charges 16 after dismantling Russian spy ring". 22 November 2023.
  100. "Poland found 14 members of a dismantled spy network guilty of conspiring to benefit Moscow". 19 December 2023.
  101. "Poland detains man for spying for Russia". 27 March 2023.
  102. "Russian spy sentenced to one year imprisonment by Polish court". 30 November 2023.
  103. "Russian citizen expelled". 7 June 2023.
  104. "Despite US sanctions, Serbia denies spy chief's ties to Russia". 14 July 2023.
  105. "Serbia's pro-Russia intelligence chief sanctioned by the US has resigned citing Western pressure". Associated Press News . 3 November 2023.
  106. "Slovaks charge 2 with spying for Russia's military service". Associated Press . 15 March 2022.
  107. "Russian spy receives suspended sentence for espionage". 28 February 2023.
  108. "Slovenia arrests two Russians on suspicion of espionage". 31 January 2023.
  109. "Ruska vohuna v obtožnici z dvema imenoma". 17 June 2023.
  110. "Spying for Russia: Europeans recruited for Putin's hybrid war". 20 January 2023.
  111. "Swedish brothers face trial on Russia spy charges". BBC News. 25 November 2022.
  112. "The Russian spy couple caught in the 'burbs: In Sweden, 'The Americans' plays out in real life". Le Monde.fr. 28 November 2022.
  113. "Swedish Prosecutors Seek Prison Sentence for Russian-Swede Accused of Spying". 28 September 2023.
  114. "Russian Woman Detained In Sweden On Espionage Charge". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 14 April 2023.
  115. "Why Zelensky is purging the security services of Ukraine". 23 July 2022.
  116. "How legal actions against Russian aggression in Ukraine can serve as a model for other conflicts". 24 February 2023.
  117. "Denys Kireyev was a Ukrainian spy hailed as a hero who saved Kyiv from Russian invaders. So why was he killed for treason?". ABC News. 2 February 2023.
  118. "Russian spy working in British embassy in Berlin jailed for more than 13 years". 17 February 2023.
  119. "Suspected spies for Russia held in major UK security investigation". BBC News. 15 August 2023.
  120. "Five to be charged in UK with spying for Russia". BBC News. 21 September 2023.
  121. "Five people accused of spying for Russia appear in court over alleged abduction plot". 26 September 2023.
  122. Cumming, Ed (27 September 2023). "The elite Russian spy embedded in the heart of Europe". The Telegraph.
  123. "UK suspects Wirecard's Jan Marsalek of spying for Russia". Deutsche Welle . 26 September 2023.
  124. "MI6 security alert at Russian-owned flat that overlooks Britain's spy HQ". 19 December 2023.
  125. "From Russia to Florida: FBI halts Russian agent's 7-year influence campaign". 29 July 2022.
  126. Bowman, Verity (29 July 2022). "US 'spy' couple pictured in KGB uniforms arrested for stealing dead babies' identities". The Telegraph.
  127. "Trial set to begin in Russian espionage case against Hopkins doctor, US Army doctor". CBS News . 22 May 2023.
  128. "Bosnia and Herzegovina National Arrested for Aiding Escape of Russian Defendant". 5 December 2023.
  129. "Israeli charged in US for smuggling components used in nukes to Russia". The Times of Israel . 17 December 2022.
  130. "Former Senior FBI Official Charged in Two Separate Indictments". 23 January 2023.
  131. "Former Special Agent In Charge Of The New York FBI Counterintelligence Division Charged With Violating U.S. Sanctions On Russia". 23 January 2023.
  132. "Former FBI spy hunter pleads guilty to working for Russian oligarch". NBC News . 15 August 2023.
  133. "Ex-FBI Agent Who Helped Russian Billionaire Deripaska Spy On Rival Gets 50 Months In Prison". Forbes . 14 December 2023.
  134. "Accused Russian spy allegedly collected U.S. info on Ukraine war before arrest". CBS News . 24 March 2023.
  135. "US charges two Russians in hacks of government accounts". 7 December 2023.
  136. "RUSSIAN 'FISHING' SPY SHIPS DISCUSSED AT SUMMIT". 8 May 2023.
  137. "Nordic media reveals Russian sabotage spy programme". 20 April 2023.
  138. "US disrupts Russian cyber espionage campaign targeting dozens of countries". 9 May 2023.
  139. "DOJ dismantles premier Russian spy tool". Politico . 9 May 2023.
  140. "Analyzing Finland's and NATO's Cybersecurity Strategies". 20 October 2023.
  141. "ICC says cyberattack was espionage attempt". 21 October 2023.
  142. "Spy chief warns authoritarian states stoking anti-government mood in Germany". Associated Press . 22 May 2023.
  143. "Computer parts trader arrested in the Netherlands for violating Russia sanctions". 18 July 2023.
  144. "Spy row in Moldova: MFA summons Russian ambassador". 25 July 2023.
  145. "Russia engages in global election interference, US alleges". 21 October 2023.
  146. "Praying for Putin: Spies in Cassocks Threaten the West". 31 October 2023.
  147. "'Rivers of Russian Cash' Flood Italy". 17 November 2023.
  148. "With Over 300 Sanctions, U.S. Targets Russia's Circumvention and Evasion, Military-Industrial Supply Chains, and Future Energy Revenues". 19 May 2023.
  149. "Russian spying in Europe dealt 'significant blow' since Ukraine war, MI5 chief says". 16 November 2022.