ALL ARTICLES - RUSSIA

Russian intelligence mobilised to create framework for drone development 

The Russian intelligence services are getting more closely involved in the development of drones, a key weapon in its war with Ukraine.

Scopa turns away from US and towards Moscow and Beijing, OFAC warned 

The Saudi defence firm has abruptly brought all of its operations for the US to an end. Despite clinching a raft of deals with major US and European firms, Scopa has decided to favour a rapprochement between its parent company Ajlan & Bros and Russian and Chinese firms instead.

• ISRAEL/JORDAN - Shin Bet boss caught out in Aqaba

• RUSSIA/FINLAND - Putin rewards his envoys to Finland

• CHINA - Xi prepares for possible war with changes to military legal system

• RUSSIA - FSB steps up surveillance of IT operators

• UNITED STATES - OFAC works towards better public-private interaction

• FRANCE/ARABIA - Tensions over alcohol supply chains

• IRAQ - Talabani cousins revive family feud
  

• UNITED STATES - Intelligence committee inspects National Cyber Guard

• RUSSIA - The Kremlin's nuclear weapons 'leaks'

• FRANCE - DGSE's secret funds or special funds?

• FRANCE - Public auditor seeks closer cooperation between Tracfin and financial prosecutor

• CHINA - Beijing eyes Southern states to realise international security vision
  

One year of war all but wipes out Russian private investigation market 

The conflict in Ukraine has had an unprecedented impact on the world of corporate intelligence in and on Russia. Despite the huge decline in contracts, a few niche firms are still eking out an existence.

Valery Tikhonov, the man behind Kremlin's secret messages 

Russia's highly secretive State Courier Service is monitoring a sector that has grown in importance as the Kremlin cracks down on strategic information leaks.

Washington wants Dubai-Russia trade route to end 

The United Arab Emirates has become an export hub for goods into sanctioned Russia, and the US is trying to convince Dubai customs to put a stop to it.

Metals specialist Walter still operating in Russia under Kyiv's watchful eye 

The Russian military industry's long-time supplier announced in September that it would be gradually pulling out of the sanctioned market. But its Saint Petersburg office remains in operation, and its equipment is still sold through state tenders.

Russia's Rosvgardia trains new elite units in Minsk 

Belarus's powerful deputy interior minister and Commander of the Belarusian Internal Troops Nikolai Karpenkov launched a collaboration with the Russian National Guard in January which is now in full swing.

• RUSSIA - Kovalchuk clan adds another link to Kremlin spymasters

• IRAQ - INIS helps with Sudani's crackdown on corruption

• UNITED STATES/SAUDI ARABIA - Washington calls for greater intelligence sharing with Gulf Cooperation Council

• CHINA - Beijing relies on reserves to expand PLA

• CHINA - Lu Shaye, ambassador in Paris, in Beijing's good graces

Russian intelligence puts down roots in Donetsk 

Firmly established in Donbas for many years, Russia's intelligence services have been gradually taking over the dense security apparatus in Donetsk.

Russian intelligence community anxious about open source leaks 

Alert to the risks of strategic intelligence leaks, the Russian government has changed the status of intelligence services so that they and their suppliers are not mentioned on public service portals.

Lukashenko takes care to keep Russophile strongman Karpenkov onside 

The regime's creation of a commission supposedly to facilitate the return of political exiles to Belarus is intended to send a message both to Washington and to Belarus's siloviki. The measure is largely symbolic, since powerful deputy internal affairs minister Nikolay Karpenkov is opposed to any attempt to appease the country's dissidents.

Kremlin-linked Kiriyenkos consolidate influence over cyber and big data markets 

Anton Gerasimov's appointment as deputy head of the Ministry of Emergencies adds another link in the chain forming between the Ministry of Digitalisation and Rostelecom around presidential adviser Sergey Kiriyenko.