Spotlight | Russia
Spymasters help Yevgeny Primakov Jr with Russian World charm offensive

Russia
Russia's NAIIS, dormant cyber think-tank and sinecure for ex-spies

In partial hibernation since its creation in 2018, the National Association for International Information Security (NAIIS) hosts retirees from the KGB and FSB as well as experts close to the national security council.

The Agencies' Gazette
Voatz vs Minsk, Russkiy Mir, biometric controls in Israel, Wang Yi in DC

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community. This week, we bring news from Moscow, Washington, Minsk and Tel Aviv.

US/BelarusBelarusian opposition in talks with secure online voting platform Voatz

RussiaTolstoy descendant to promote Russian soft power

IsraelBiometric cameras against foreign spies

China/United StatesWang Yi expected in Washington in early October

Russia, Ukraine
Non-profit body Popular Unity is present in Russian political and security circles and the Donbass

Thanks to its diversified management structure, the non-profit Popular Unity has a large network of connections, which includes the FSB, business people and senators. Like other associations with security connections, it operates in the Donbass, as well as among the Russian elite.

Russia
Russian soft power services and agencies promote Russian unity in North Caucasus and Crimea

Away from the military front, Russia and Ukraine are also waging an influence war, with Moscow trying to foster loyalty to the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus ethnic Muslim republics.

Russia
Foreign ministry picks new Asia relations deputy

After weeks of rumours and whispers in the corridors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andrey Rudenko, we have learned, should shortly be in charge of handling Russia's relations with Asia.

Russia, Vatican
Moscow ready to welcome the pope...but only after the war

Pope Francis had to hold off plans to visit Russia as part of his efforts to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church, which also wants to play a role in resolution of the conflict, is trying to adopt a more open position.

Central Asia, Russia
Russia's soft power institutions tread carefully in Central Asia

Moscow is trying to maintain its influence in Central Asian countries through its soft power agencies with the aim of consolidating and strengthening its alliances in the region. But the 9 May celebrations revealed deep dissensions within some countries.

Russia, Ukraine
Russian influence activists got busy behind recognition of Donbas republics

The champions of Russia's protection of its "compatriots" - Russian-speaking descendants of the USSR that Moscow is trying to reconquer or keep in its cultural fold - were going all-out to support Moscow's latest moves in Ukraine.

Japan, Russia
Fresh debate over remains of former Soviet spy reignites Kuril Islands dispute

The shadow of the unresolved conflict between Tokyo and Moscow over four islands in the Pacific has become a recurring theme in Russian-Japanese relations. This has led to a series of extremely high-profile public relations exercises by Moscow, which Washington is gradually becoming embroiled in.

The Agencies' Gazette
CIS, UK counter state threats bill, Palestine-Algeria

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

Palestine-AlgeriaMaster spy Noureddine Mekri takes a stab at Palestinian reconciliation

United KingdomChristine Lee affair sparks Tom Tugendhat's push for draft bill on counter state threats

Russia'Compatriot' think-tank receives award

The Agencies' Gazette
SVR, Tracfin, Romanian cyber, French prison intelligence

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

RussiaSVR awards artists' prize.

FranceTracfin places focus on transparency

USWashington provides close cyber support to Romania

FrancePrison intelligence struggling

Spotlight | China, Russia
Russian soft power ups ambitions in Central Asia for 2022

Moscow has grand plans for its networks of influence abroad over the coming year, starting with the need to maintain its declining dominance in Central Asia. But these ambitious goals could come up against the situation in Kazakhstan, where India, China and other powers are using their own approaches.

Spotlight | Russia, Ukraine
Kyiv and Moscow weaponise citizenship in battle for influence

The "Centre", the headquarters of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence agency, has long used compatriots for intelligence or influence operations. Ukraine has in contrast relied little on its own nationals or descendants living abroad. But Volodymyr Zelensky now intends to exploit this precious resource.

Russia
NIIRK spymasters scrutinise Baltic and Central Asian countries via state media

NIIRK, the small scientific research centre made up of ex-KGB agents is making assessment of "communication flows" a central priority. It is examining these in the three Baltic countries and five Central Asian states where Moscow is trying to push its narratives using soft power tools, such as the Rossotrudnichestvo and state media outlets.

Russia
Changes in FSB regional heads highlight rising stars

While FSB officers' assignments are often the subject of fierce rivalries between ambitious young men, the positions of regional heads are kept for the most promising among them. The new postings give a glimpse of some of Moscow's future leaders but also reveal those who are being dispensed with for having not met Russia's domestic spy agency's expectations.

Russia, Ukraine
Kyiv quietly fuming over Russian memorial to Soviet-era secret agent in Crimea

Being both head of the SVR and chairman of the Russian Historical Society puts Sergey Naryshkin in a position to reinstate a number of Soviet-era intelligence officers and in doing so furthering the Kremlin's regional strategy.

Spotlight | Russia
Moscow shakes up soft power apparatus

Keen to bolster its cultural influence arsenal, the Russian foreign ministry is setting up a department to coordinate its various soft power policies and give a stronger terrain focus to the Rossotrudnichestvo, headed by Evgeni Primakov Jr.

France, Russia
Russian Geographical Society sets up in Paris under the aegis of soft power experts

For the inauguration of its new centre in Paris headed by academic Darya Loyola, the powerful Russian Geographical Society called in experts in Russian-French relations, as well as professional promoters of Russian policy for compatriots abroad.

Russia
Evgeni Primakov Jr renews Russian soft power as head of Rossotrudnichestvo

An influence tool and relay of Moscow's intelligence apparatus, the Rossotrudnichestvo, Moscow's cultural relations arm, is seeking new opportunities.

Russia
SVR continues to handle relations with Russia's close neighbours

Igor Maslov, who served in the SVR, was appointed to [...]

From Nairobi to Lagos, Moscow wages religious war on Kyiv

In parallel to its military attack on Ukraine, the Kremlin is mixing religion and diplomacy in an offensive against the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Africa.