Russia
Moscow region hires Serbian private soldiers for imminent deployment to Ukraine

Russia, Serbia, Ukraine
Serbian recruits in Luhansk rebel amid intra-elite election competition

As Russia's ruling clans prepare to do battle in the lead up to March's presidential elections, troops on the ground see the intra-elite tensions as a means to push for better conditions.

The Intelligence Gazette
China-Italy talks, Polish tank rearmament, DGSI's new HQ, Consensus on intel classification in Congress

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

ItalyGiorgia Meloni closes door on China talks

PolandPiotr Trytek in charge of tank rearmament programme

FranceFirst spade in the ground for DGSI HQs in 2024

United StatesConsensus on intelligence overclassification in Congress underway

Russia
Russia's security apparatus split on immigrants in army

Russia's interior ministry is preparing a wave of raids on naturalised immigrants who have not yet registered for military service, so they can join the campaign in Ukraine, but the defence ministry is concerned about the future soldiers' loyalties.

Russia
FSB on alert as Wagner fighters head home

The return of these soldiers to their families is being closely monitored by the intelligence service, which fears social unrest. Many of these mercenaries have neither been paid nor received the social benefits they were promised, and refuse to join the regular forces.

Spotlight | Hungary, Russia
Moscow revives timid attempt to recruit Hungarian fighters

As it continues to drive a recruitment campaign for Serbian fighters to bulk up its armed forces, Russia has dusted off a shelved project to do the same among the ethnic Hungarian population.

Russia
Moscow puts plans to deploy Serbian soldiers in Ukraine on hold

Following Intelligence Online's investigation, the Kremlin hurriedly deployed a PR counteroffensive and paused its operation to integrate Serbian soldiers in its army to fight in Ukraine. Belgrade, meanwhile, has made a diplomatic U-turn.

Russia
The real reason for ex-FSB Polyakov's arrest

Officially accused of conducting "dark PR" and extortion, the former head of the FSB's Second Service in Moscow was in fact waging an underground campaign against his boss, Alexey Dorofeev, in a bid to replace him.

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
Moscow worried about underground dissenter officers club

The Order of the Republic are a network of Russian officers united in their opposition to Russia's war on Ukraine, and to Vladimir Putin's presidency. They have already struck several blows to the 'special military operation', under the watchful eye of Russia's intelligence services.