Spotlight | Russia
Putin keeps protecting his defence ministry chiefs against attacks by FSB and Wagner

The Intelligence Gazette
From military intelligence to Harvard, DPR waiting rebuild, ambassador wanted, mixed inclusion results

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

United StatesUS and UAE military intelligence reform expert joins Harvard

FranceStill no MPs for parliamentary intelligence delegation

RussiaFrench ambassador yet to be approved

United StatesThe intelligence community's debated inclusion policy

Russia, Ukraine, United States
Free Russia Foundation, a shadowy Washington group at the heart of a network of anti-Russia activism

Working in tandem with a largely invisible sister entity, the Foundation seeks to pave the way for a "post-Putin" era and opposes Russia's war in Ukraine. Citing security, the group keeps its grantees confidential.

Russia
Presidential administration steps up its covert mobilisation effort

Despite official assurances that the mobilisation campaign is over, the Kremlin is making use of its regional administrative resources to bring in more troops. Different forms of pressure are being used to recruit at state-owned and parastatal companies and among vulnerable sections of the population.

Russia, Ukraine
Russian officers execute their wounded in Luhansk to prevent intelligence leaks

As they wait for the Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russian units on the Luhansk front have carried out an increasing number of attacks, in which they have incurred heavy human losses. They make it a point of honour, however, not to leave Ukraine any prisoners.

Russia
Wagner taps into Saint Petersburg State University talent pool

Some of the institution's teaching staff are covertly headhunting on behalf of Yevgeny Prigozhin's paramilitary organisation, on the lookout for highly specialised recruits.

Belarus, Russia
Russia accelerates use of Belarus as rear training base

The recent troop movements on Ukraine's northern border illustrate Russia's use of Belarus as a training ground for its new recruits, and its aims to influence how the Belarusian command trains its own personnel.

Russia
Financial intelligence remains last Russian bastion open to international cooperation

The discreet Russian financial intelligence service Rosfinmonitoring, which has been closely involved in international cooperation against the financing of terrorism, is an anomaly among Russian agencies, keeping the door open to cooperation on intelligence sharing with foreign partners.

Russia
Russian spy to participate in UN roundtables on fighting organised crime

A domestic intelligence officer has joined the Russian delegation taking part in the United Nations working groups on fighting transnational organised crime. The spy will be particularly attentive to regulations and technical assistance solutions for tracking embezzled or corrupt assets.

Russia, Ukraine
Moscow's new high command embarks on three-stage scorched earth offensive

Surrounded by powerful rivals, new Russian commander in Ukraine Sergey Surovikin is looking to establish his authority with an audacious battle plan. His aim is to retake lost Ukrainian territory, force Kyiv to negotiate and win the confidence of Vladimir Putin.

Russia
War in Ukraine: trouble at the top amongst Russian General Staff

Two officers are coordinating Russia's military offensive in Ukraine directly with Putin, further damaging the image of Minister Shoigu and General Gerasimov. As the Northern Hemisphere's winter approaches, the so-called "special military operation" has had its strategy revised once again.

Russia
Sergei Korolev to carry Shanghai Pact's anti-terrorism flag

Russia has appointed rising intelligence star Sergei Korolev to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as it renews its membership with the regional alliance and ramps up efforts to counter various groups it qualifies as terrorist or extremist.

Russia
Serguei Korolev places friends at FSB

FSB economic intelligence service chief Serguei Korolev, a rising star [...]