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☆ Opinion: Despite ISIS threat, Putin’s only concern is the politics of terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Opinion Douglas London | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Russia knows it has a terrorist problem, despite its deflection and spin to preserve Putin’s image, but his priorities are elsewhere. Russian intelligence also suffers from systemic failings in recognizing, penetrating and dismantling terrorist cells, failings that stem from doctrine and a deliberately stovepiped structure that obstructs information sharing and agility. FSB officers will coerce, threaten and intimidate potential sources with diminishing returns that will only fuel ISIS-K recruitment and fundraising, which is no doubt seeing a surge from its Moscow attack. Russian intelligence will be left to depend on the unwilling, ill-informed or duplicitous. At the Islamic State’s height, Tajik Gulmurod Khalimov commanded its Iraqi capital of Mosul.

Persons: Douglas London, ”, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Bortnikov, Douglas, Mike Pompeo, Russia’s, Sergey Naryshkin, Igor Korobov, Donald Trump, Pompeo, Russia Michael McFaul, Barack Obama, Trump, Putin, Gulmurod Khalimov, Khalimov, “ Omar al, “ Omar, ” Batirashvili, Washington, Sergei Skripal, Yulia Organizations: CIA, of American Intelligence, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Global National Security Institutes, CNN, Federal Security Service, CBC, Ukraine, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Military Intelligence, Trump, White, ISIS, Central, Former, Terrorism, Embassy, K’s, Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry, Islamic Locations: South, Southwest Asia, London, Khorasan, United States, Afghanistan, Islamic State, Great Britain, Russia, Washington, State, Moscow, Syria, Iraq, Russian, US, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, Central Asia, Central Asian, Central, East, Turkey, Turkish, Istanbul, Mosul, Chechen, Georgian, Georgia, Iran, Kerman, Salisbury, England

☆ Estonia thwarts ‘shadow war’ attack, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Estonia has thwarted a Russian-directed influence operation on its territory, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has told CNN. The Estonian Internal Security Service arrested 10 individuals, including both Russian and Estonian nationals. “There’s a shadow war going on against our societies,” Prime Minister Kallas told CNN. “The aim of Russia’s influence operations is to influence our democratic decision making. The Kremlin is also directly involved in shaping Russian influence operations in neighboring countries, according to Presidential Administration documents leaked last year.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Kallas, ” Kallas Organizations: CNN, Estonian, Estonian Internal Security Service, ”, Intelligence, SVR, Administration, Moldovan, NATO, European Union Locations: Estonia, Russian, Russia, –, NATO, Europe, Baltic States, Moldova

The recordings immediately went viral on social media, and the candidate, who is pro-NATO and aligned with Western interests, was defeated in September by an opponent who supported closer ties to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin. AI images that falsely depicted former President Donald Trump sitting with teenage girls on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane circulated on social media last month. And once a deepfake appears on social media, it can be nearly impossible to stop its spread. Šimečka said his team and others complained to social media platforms and law enforcement. He said social media platforms need to “put measures in place” to prevent attempts to meddle with an election.

Persons: he’d, Vladimir Putin, ”, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein’s, Trump, “, Subrahmanian, Alex Curtas, Curtas, Jared DeMarinis, ’, ” DeMarinis, Chelsea Carattini, Ilana Beller, haven’t, ” Beller, Paul Vallas, Sean R, Clark, ” Vallas, Vallas, Brandon Johnson, ” “ We’ll, Slovakia Michal Šimečka, ” Šimečka, Šimečka, ” Daniel Milo, Milo, it’s, ” Milo, Janis Sarts, ” Sarts Organizations: CNN, NATO, Northwestern University, Senior, Twitter, Democratic, Chicago, Political, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Public Citizen, State’s, Republican Party, Commission, Progressive, YouTube, Facebook, Slovakia’s Ministry, Meta, NATO Strategic Communications, of Excellence, Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Intelligence Locations: Slovakia, Moscow, Europe, States, New Hampshire, Russia, China, Russian, Northwestern, American, California , Michigan, Minnesota , Texas, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho, Chicago, Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia’s, Latvia

BOSTON (AP) — Hewlett Packard Enterprise disclosed Wednesday that suspected state-backed Russian hackers broke into its cloud-based email system and stole data from cybersecurity and other employees. It said it believed the hackers were from Cozy Bear, a unit of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service. It said the Russian hackers accessed accounts of senior Microsoft executives as well as cybersecurity and legal employees. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesCompany spokesman Adam R. Bauer, reached by email, would not say who informed HPE of the breach. “We're not sharing that information at this time.” Bauer said the compromised email boxes were running Microsoft software.

Persons: Cozy Bear, ”, Adam R, Bauer, HPE, We're, ” Bauer, ” HPE Organizations: BOSTON, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Securities and Exchange, Microsoft, SharePoint, . Securities, Exchange, Hewlett, Packard Inc Locations: Russian, Redmond, Washington, U.S, Europe, Spring , Texas

☆ CrowdStrike CEO talks Microsoft's security breach and explains why Russian hackers are hard to beat
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In a Monday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz discussed Microsoft 's high-profile security breach by a Russian intelligence group, saying these adversaries have a determined "low and slow" approach to hacking that's especially tough to beat. Thought to be part of the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR, Nobelium is also known as Midnight Blizzard and Cozy Bear. Nobelium has tried to breach the systems of U.S. allies as well as the Department of Defense. He said CrowdStrike uses its algorithms to string together these "low signals" and identify such adversaries. Kurtz added that CrowdStrike has been able to stop the group in the past, saying that some of Microsoft's customers seek additional support from his company.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, George Kurtz, Cozy Bear, Kurtz, it's, Nobelium, CrowdStrike Organizations: Microsoft, Nobelium, Midnight, Cozy, Department of Defense, SolarWinds Locations: Russian, U.S, China

Microsoft said in a Friday regulatory filing that a Russian intelligence group accessed some of the software maker's top executives' email accounts. The company said a group called Nobelium carried out the attack, which it detected last week. Microsoft and the U.S. government consider Nobelium to be a part of the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR. The hacking group was responsible for one of the most prolific breaches in U.S. history, when it breached government supplier SolarWinds in 2020. It was also implicated alongside another Russian hacking group in the 2016 breach of the Democratic National Committee's systems.

Persons: Amy Hood, Brad Smith, Satya Nadella, Nobelium Organizations: Microsoft, Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S, SolarWinds, Department of Defense, Democratic National Locations: Russian, U.S

It said the same highly skilled Russian hacking team behind the SolarWinds breach was responsible. “A very small percentage” of Microsoft corporate accounts were accessed, the company said, and some emails and attached documents were stolen. A company spokesperson said Microsoft had no immediate comment on which or how many members of its senior leadership had their email accounts breached. In a regulatory filing Friday, Microsoft said it was able to remove the hackers' access from the compromised accounts on or about Jan. 13. After gaining a foothold, they used the account's permissions to access the accounts of the senior leadership team and others.

Persons: “ Organizations: BOSTON, —, Microsoft, . Securities, Exchange, SEC, Google, Cozy, Justice, Treasury Locations: — State, Russian, Redmond , Washington, U.S, Europe

☆ Russian spy chief who once participated in US-funded program suggests that other Russians who participated in US-funded programs are disloyal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe head of Russia's foreign intelligence service claimed Thursday that the US could meddle in Russia's upcoming presidential election. Washington could do this, SVR chief Sergei Naryshkin baselessly claimed, by creating a "fifth column" in Russia consisting of Russians who participated in US-funded exchange programs. The term "fifth column" refers to a group of people working to undermine a nation's interests from within. Naryshkin was parroting Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly warned of a fifth column within the country's borders.

Persons: —, Sergei Naryshkin baselessly, Naryshkin, Anastasia Burakova, Washington, they'll, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Business, USAID, Foreign Relations, Government Locations: Washington, Russia, USAID, Europe, Leningrad Oblast, Russian, masse, Ukraine

☆ Putin fake death rumors are being spread by the Kremlin to gauge Russian reactions, Ukraine intelligence says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Kremlin is using them to gauge Russian reactions, intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov said. "It's an internal story that is intended for an internal Russian audience," Yusov told NV Radio. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Kremlin is using fake rumors about President Vladimir Putin's death to gauge Russian reactions, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. "It's an internal story that is intended for an internal Russian audience," Yusov told NV Radio, per Ukrainska Prava. Last week's claims prompted Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, to dismiss speculation about Putin's health on two occasions.

Persons: Andriy Yusov, Yusov, —, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, HUR, Ukrainska, d'état, Putin's, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov Organizations: Radio, Service, Kremlin, Defense, Main Intelligence Directorate, Ukrainian NV, Ukrainska Pravda, SVR Locations: Ukraine, Kremlin, Russian

☆ Be very wary of the Telegram account claiming Putin was found convulsing from a heart attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Kremlin has issued a denial after a prominent Russian Telegram account said Putin had a heart attack. The anonymous account, General SVR, regularly pumps out fascinating claims about Putin. There's good reason to be highly skeptical of the account, experts have told Insider. They originated in a post by the anonymous Russian Telegram account General SVR, an infamous source of juicy but unsubstantiated tales about Putin and his circle. The General SVR Telegram account, with more than 390,000 followers across three accounts, is a major purveyor of such rumors.

Persons: Putin, —, breathlessly, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, General SVR —, pooped, Lucy Birge Organizations: Russian Telegram, SVR, Service, Kremlin, TASS, General SVR Telegram, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, General SVR, New York Times Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Putin's Spy Master Says Issue of Ukraine Support Turning 'Toxic' in US
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign intelligence chief said on Wednesday that the issue of support for Ukraine was becoming toxic in the United States and that the divisions would deepen ahead of next year's U.S. presidential election. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, the United States and the European Union have made more than $160 billion in commitments to Ukraine, including tens of billions of dollars in weapons. Republican lawmakers' ouster of House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy has raised questions about the future of aid to Ukraine. The United States has also repeatedly urged Kyiv to do more to tackle corruption, CNN reported this month. Naryshkin, who has served as Russia's foreign spy chief since October 2016, said the ouster of McCarthy illustrated the "malignancy" of the Ukraine issue in the U.S. body politic.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Sergei Naryshkin, Naryshkin, Putin, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones Organizations: European Union, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Diplomats, Republican, United, CNN Locations: MOSCOW, Ukraine, United States, Russia, Baku, Washington, Kyiv, U.S, Western, Moscow

☆ 'Loyalty alone is not enough': Kremlin reveals the qualities Russia's Vladimir Putin values the most
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via a video link in Saint Petersburg on October 10, 2022. "But for Vladimir Putin, loyalty alone is not enough. Russia's president Vladimir Putin (R) and his spokesman Dmitry Peskov (L) attend the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting at the Congress Hall in Bishkek on December 9, 2022. Contributor | Getty ImagesDuring Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine, as it calls its invasion, questions have been raised about the strategy and competency of Russia's military leadership. FILE - Businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, shows Russian President Vladimir Putin, around his factory which produces school meals, outside St. Petersburg, Russia on Monday, Sept. 20, 2010.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Gavriil Grigorov, Putin, Andrei Kondrashov, it's, Dmitry Peskov, Vyacheslav Oseledko, —, Sergey Lavrov, Sergei Shoigu, Sergei Lavrov, Nikolay Patrushev, Mikhail Mishustin, Sergei Sobyanin, There's, Vladimir Solovyov, Nikolai Patrushev, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, Sergei Medvedev, Dmitry, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Alexander Ermochenko, Sergey Shoigu, Shoigu, Prigozhin, Wagner, Kirill Shamiev, Prigozhin Prigozhin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Alexei Druzhinin Organizations: Afp, Getty, CNBC, Economic, Kremlin, Security, Moscow, SVR, Russian Security Council, Ukraine, West ., Kyiv, Russian, Luhansk People's, Reuters, Wagner Group, European Council, Foreign Relations Locations: Saint Petersburg, Bishkek, Russian, Yerevan, Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Luhansk, Luhansk People's Republic, Crimea, Moscow, Belarus, Prigozhin, St . Petersburg

☆ A sneaky move at a Kremlin meeting may show why Putin took his time in eliminating Prigozhin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

If so, the process of removing Prigozhin may have begun at a Kremlin meeting days after his uprising. On June 29, five days after the rebellion was called off, Putin gathered Prigozhin and his commanders in the Kremlin, according to a report in the Russian outlet Kommersant. "Reports of the meeting — and the lack of notable cases of dissension following Prigozhin's death — suggest that the meeting likely achieved its goals," Orr said. Chekalov, a senior deputy to Prigozhin, oversaw logistics, coordinating numerous Wagner activities and operations in Libya and Syria. ALEXEY DANICHEV/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesUnder Prigozhin, Wagner amassed a business empire using lucrative concessions from governments and backers in the countries where it operated.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Alexei Troshev, nodded affirmatively, Matthew Orr, RANE, Orr, Dmitry Utkin, Valery Chekalov, Anton Mardasov, Mardasov, ALEXEY DANICHEV, Prigozhin's, Pavel Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Kommersant, Reuters, French Army, Associated Press, Russia's Ministry of Defense, PMC Convoy, PMC Redut, Russian, Ministry of Defense, Getty, Belarusian Defence Ministry, Wagner PMC, SVR Locations: Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Tver, Eurasia, Prigozhin, Libya, Syria, Mali, Africa, East, Russia, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Saharan Africa, Ukraine, Osipovichi

Director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin delivers a speech during a ceremony unveiling the monument to founder of the Soviet secret police Felix Dzerzhinsky at the service's headquarters in Moscow, Russia, September 11, 2023. Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A bronze statue of "Iron Felix" Dzerzhinsky, the ruthless founder of the Soviet secret police and architect of the Red Terror which followed the 1917 revolution, was unveiled on Monday at the headquarters of Russia's foreign spy service. Sergei Naryshkin, the chief of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), successor to the KGB's famed First Chief Directorate, marked the unveiling of the statue outside its Yasenevo headquarters in southern Moscow. Dzerzhinsky towered above Naryshkin, Putin's 68-year-old spy master, who stood with a group of other men - many of them unknown. The statue at the SVR looks remarkably similar to the one that once stood on Lubyanka Square.

Persons: Sergei Naryshkin, Felix Dzerzhinsky, Felix, Dzerzhinsky, Josef Stalin, Vladimir Putin's, Naryshkin, Nikita Petrov, Vladimir Lenin's, Lenin's, Putin, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Federation, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Reuters, Russian, Commission, Cheka, State Political Directorate, State Political, NKVD, Internal Affairs, KGB, Federal Security Service, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Vladimir Putin's Russia, Poland, Soviet Union, Dzerzhinsky, Soviet

The Dharavi slum, about three-quarters the size of New York's Central Park, featured in Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning 2008 movie "Slumdog Millionaire". Only those who already lived in Dharavi before 2000, mostly ground-floor residents, will get free homes within the redevelopment. In interviews with Reuters, some Dharavi residents cited the billionaire's financial troubles as contributing to their concerns. Last month, a Mumbai court allowed SecLink to add Adani to its lawsuit, forcing the conglomerate to defend its position before judges. In early August, about 300 opposition supporters and residents gathered in Dharavi to object to Adani's involvement.

Persons: Adani, Gautam Adani's, Narendra Modi's, Danny Boyle's Oscar, SecLink, Eknath Shinde, Modi, Maharashtra's, Sandeep Shastri, Rajendra Korde, Radha Pawar, Srinivas, Mohammad Hasmat Ullah, Ullah, Dhwani Pandya, Aditya Kalra, Arpan Chaturvedi, Francis Mascarenhas, David Crawshaw Organizations: Adani, Consultancy, Reuters, SecLink Technologies Corporation, The, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Modi's BJP, India's, Trust, Reuters ., Dharavi, Committee, Authority, Dhwani, Thomson Locations: Dubai, MUMBAI, rehouse, Dharavi, Maharashtra, The Dubai, Mumbai, Gujarat, snowballing

The Polish diplomat, who declined to be identified citing security concerns, confirmed the role of his advertisement in the digital intrusion. In 2021, U.S. and British intelligence agencies identified APT29 as an arm of Russia's foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR. "Diplomatic missions will always be a high-value espionage target," the Unit 42 report said. That software, Unit 42 said, was disguised as an album of photographs of the used BMW. As for the car, it was still available, the Polish diplomat told Reuters:"I'll try to sell it in Poland, probably," he said.

Persons: James Pearson, Conor Humphries Organizations: Palo Alto Networks, Reuters, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BMW, Intelligence Service, SVR, NATO, European Union, Unit, U.S . State Department, Technology, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukraine's, Kyiv, Polish, Africa, U.S, Poland

Persons: James Pearson, Conor Humphries Organizations: Reuters, Palo Alto Networks, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BMW, Intelligence Service, SVR, NATO, European Union, Unit, U.S . State Department, Technology, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukraine's, Kyiv, Polish, Africa, U.S, Poland

MOSCOW, July 10 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has held Kremlin talks with Wagner mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and his commanders to discuss the armed mutiny Wagner attempted to mount against the army's top brass, Putin's spokesman said on Monday. The meeting was first reported by French newspaper Liberation, which said Prigozhin had met Putin and the head of the National Guard, Viktor Zolotov, and SVR Foreign Intelligence boss Sergei Naryshkin. Peskov told reporters that Putin had invited 35 people to the meeting, including Prigozhin and Wagner unit commanders, and that the meeting had lasted three hours. The brief mutiny led by Prigozhin, in which Wagner fighters took control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and a military headquarters building, was defused in a deal brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Prigozhin was meant to leave for Belarus under the terms of the deal that ended the mutiny.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Putin, Viktor Zolotov, Sergei Naryshkin, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Alexander Lukashenko, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Lukashenko, Andrew Osborn, Mark Trevelyan, Caleb Davis Organizations: French, Liberation, National Guard, SVR Foreign Intelligence, Staff, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Ukraine, Rostov, Russia, Belarus, Moscow, London, Gdansk

☆ CIA director called Kremlin to assure US had no role in aborted mutiny, US media reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - CIA Director William Burns called Russian spy chief Sergei Naryshkin after last week's aborted mutiny in Russia to assure the Kremlin that the United States had no role in it, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Burns' phone call with Naryshkin, the head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service, took place this week and was the highest-level contact between the two governments since the attempted mutiny, the Wall Street Journal said. The boss of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, shocked the world by leading last week's armed revolt, only to abruptly call it off as his fighters approached Moscow. President Joe Biden said on Monday the brief uprising by Russian mercenaries against the Kremlin was part of a struggle within the Russian system and that the United States and its allies were not involved in it. Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Jasper WardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: William Burns, Sergei Naryshkin, Burns, Russia's Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Joe Biden, Kanishka Singh, Jasper Ward Organizations: CIA, New York Times, Wall Street, Wall Street Journal, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: Russia, United States, Moscow, Russian, Washington

☆ How mercenary revolt has gathered pace in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

- In a series of subsequent audio recordings posted on Telegram, Prigozhin says the "evil" of Russia's military leadership "must be stopped" and his Wagner mercenary force will lead a "march for justice" against the Russian military. SATURDAY- Prigozhin says his men have crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia and are ready to go "all the way" against the Russian military. - Wagner fighters have entered the southern Russian city of Rostov, Prigozhin says in an audio recording posted on Telegram. - Russian's Defence Ministry issues a statement appealing to Wagner fighters to abandon Prigozhin, saying they have been "deceived and dragged into a criminal adventure". - Russian military helicopters open fire on a convoy of rebel mercenaries already more than half way towards Moscow in a lightning advance after seizing Rostov overnight.

Persons: Wagner, Stringer, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin's, Prigozhin, Sergei Surovikin, Reuters Wagner, Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Sergei Naryshkin, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Antony Blinken, Pavel Krasheninnikov, Gavin Jones, Giles Elgood, Helen Popper Our Organizations: REUTERS, Moscow, Russian's Defence Ministry, Reuters, TASS, Kremlin, European Union, Ministry, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia's, Voronezh, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Rostov, Russia's Rostov, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Belarus

☆ Russian spy chief flags 'suspicious' Ukrainian nuclear activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 19 (Reuters) - One of Russia's top spymasters said on Monday he hoped that the U.N. nuclear watchdog and the European Union would look into Ukrainian nuclear activity that he said might signal Kyiv was working on a "dirty bomb". Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service, did not provide documentary evidence to back his assertions. The Ukrainian defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kyiv has in the past said it takes its responsibilities for nuclear power very seriously while accusing Russia of recklessness when it comes to its control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine. Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: spymasters, Sergei Naryshkin, Naryshkin, Andrew Osborn, Kevin Liffey Organizations: European, Reuters, Russian, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Rivne, Chornobyl, Moscow

☆ Russia responds to CIA recruitment video for spies with a bizarre video of its own, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Russian video apparently seeking to recruit US spies is circulating on Telegram. The video was in response to the CIA's latest attempts to recruit Russian spies on Telegram. The Russian video seems to show members of the US military and contains a clip from "Jarhead," a 2005 film about a disillusioned US Marine. A still from a Russian propaganda video apparently aimed at recruiting spies show President Joe Biden in crosshairs. The US seems keen to recruit Russians opposed to the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, which has stalled amid steep casualties for the Russian military.

☆ Moscow's 'special' forces: An inside look at how Russia's famed Spetsnaz really operate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Mark Galeotti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

Russia's Spetsnaz forces are often depicted as a kind of Russian super troops. Osprey PublishingMost countries' special forces emphasize physical fitness, determination and aggression. Special people, for special tasksMembers of the Russian military's 16th Separate Special Purpose Brigade during an exercise in 2018. Even so, being better than most of the Soviet army's miserable and recalcitrant conscript forces did not make most of them truly special, special forces. The special operations commandMembers of Russian's 22nd Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade during an exercise in November 2017.

☆ Russian spy service says HIMARS, other weapons deployed at nuclear power stations in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign intelligence service (SVR) accused Ukraine on Monday of storing Western-supplied arms at nuclear power stations across the country. In a statement, the SVR said U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers, air defence systems and artillery ammunition had been delivered to the Rivne nuclear power station in the northwest of Ukraine. "The Ukrainian armed forces are storing weapons and ammunition provided by the West on the territory of nuclear power plants," it said, adding that an arms shipment to the Rivne power station had taken place in the last week of December. Ukraine's many nuclear power stations have been the focus of attention since the start of the conflict. Russian forces seized the defunct Chornobyl nuclear power plant less than 48 hours after troops invaded, and also captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - the largest in Europe - early in the war.

☆ Did Putin really poop himself? How an influential Telegram account is spreading wild, unproven claims about the Kremlin's inner workings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Russian Telegram account General SVR is a source of many juicy tabloid stories about Putin. Experts on Russian media strongly doubt the account, and say it does more harm than good. They attributed them to a single, anonymous source: the mysterious Telegram account known as General SVR. Among those used to more rigorous documenting of Russia's secrets, General SVR prompts open derision. Soon after his questioning, the General SVR channel made a post denying any connection to Solovey.

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