Spymaster | Russia
Dmitry Kochnev keeps watch over the Kremlin

Russia
Kremlin's protection arm prevails in information war

The Russian state security agency, the FSO, has new responsibilities regarding information security. It must rub elbows with several other departments and especially with the FSB.

Russia
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.

Russia
From Moscow to Ukraine, demand for Rosgvardia continues to grow

The Russian paramilitary security service Rosgvardia is being stretched to its limits, as it is being deployed in the conquered areas of Ukraine and in its homeland, where the Ministry of the Interior needs it to ensure officials' safety.

The Agencies' Gazette
Cairo shifts view on Syria, DGSE on Order of Liberation board, drones for Portuguese military, ex-FSO to Russian Security Council, CIA moles

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets of news, big and small, from the global intelligence community. This week we hone in on Cairo, Moscow, Lisbon and Paris.

Egypt/Syria Cairo shifts position on Syria's return to Arab League

Portugal Military intelligence eyes US drones

Russia Yet another ex-FSO officer joins Security Council

France DGSE wants seat on Order of the Liberation board

United States Baer vs Redmond, score settling between former CIA officers over a book

Russia
Security Vision, the Kremlin cyber protection unit's faithful provider

As Russian intelligence battens down the hatches on who can provide cybersecurity services, some agencies, starting with the FSO's interceptions department, continue to outsource tasks to trusted private partners such as Security Vision's subsidiaries Intellectual Security and Trimeter.

Russia, Ukraine
FSB still at forefront of intelligence gathering in Ukraine

Rumours abound about the leadership of the Russian security services deployed in Ukraine to back the military offensive and feed Moscow with intelligence from the field.

Spotlight | Belarus, Russia
How Russia is working to absorb Belarusian news networks into sovereign internet

While everyone's focus is on Ukraine, the information space in Belarus continues to quietly but steadily move towards a shared sovereign internet with Russia, one that is controlled by the latter's security and cut off from the rest of the world.

Russia
Moscow's shadow advisers, intelligence officers and lobbyists lay low

As the hunt for those responsible for Russia's setbacks in Ukraine continues, lobbyists, private consultants and advisers close to the Kremlin, as well as former and current civil servants, are fearing a wave of purges.

Spotlight | China, Russia
Oligarchs close to the Kremlin look towards Beijing

With business between Beijing and Moscow openly thriving, Russian entrepreneurs with ties to the Kremlin are now increasingly using these good relations to make moves into the Chinese markets.

Russia
Next generation of Russian siloviki blocked by old guard

The Kremlin allowed its most powerful generals to stay on an extra 5 years beyond retirement age and is now looking to extend their careers even further on an ad hoc basis, dashing the prospects of younger officers.