Aegis

Saudi Arabia
MbS to follow World Defense Show with 'Davos of Aeronautics'

Modelled on his "Davos in the desert", the Future Investment Initiative, Mohammed bin Salman will launch the new high-end Future Aviation Forum in May. Still riding on the buzz of his first defence show, the Saudi crown prince has been organising several global events to rival Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

United Kingdom
London searches for new security contractors to handle its operations in crisis zones

Overseen by the National Security Council (NSC), Britain's CSSF, which provides funds for projects in crisis zones and influence operations, has started the long process of selecting its new contractors. With an annual allocation of £1.

Spotlight | Europe
Trial exposes Crédit Suisse's Eastern Europe private investigators

While the bank won the legal battle launched by its former European markets director, the trial has brought to light the troop of investigators and consultants both sides used to shake off their troubles in Romania over the past 15 years.

Azerbaijan, France, Russia
Baku exasperated by 'influence operations' in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia's normalisation of its relations with Turkey, paving the way for reconciliation with Azerbaijan, have kicked off with gusto. But the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev has grave concerns about what he believes to be attempted influence campaigns in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Intelligence 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

Russia
Kremlin takes back control of Dagestan's power grid with Iran in sight

Entwined with its goal to lock in control of the small Caucasus republic, starting with the local oligarchs who have since been ousted from the power sectors, is the Kremlin's desire to create new openings towards Iran for its national energy groups Gazprom and Rosseti.

Spotlight | Israel, Ukraine
Ukraine's domestic intelligence drops Rayzone and Ultra

As large amounts of US funding pours into the country's open source intelligence sector, Ukraine's home security agency, the SBU, has decided to terminate its contract with the two Israeli firms.

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.

Spotlight | France, Monaco, Russia
Monaco's Russian community thriving a decade into Rybolovlev's club leadership

The principality boasts a wealthy set of art-loving Russian expats who enjoy its luxury concierges, yacht dealers and private galleries while maintaining their Moscow connections despite the distance.

Kyrgyzstan, Russia
Afghan tensions affords Bishkek spymasters strategic regional role

Taking advantage of the renewed prominence of Central Asia following the Afghan outbursts, the Kyrgyz spymasters are seeking to consolidate their position and to assert the interests of Bishkek in the regional dynamics between Beijing, Islamabad and New Delhi.

France, Qatar
CS Group and Thales hope for windfall from Franco-Qatari anti-drone warfare cooperation

With the 2022 Football World Cup looming, French companies have set their sights on Qatar's major anti-drone contracts. The firms are backed in their efforts by France's army, national gendarmerie and interior ministry.

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.

Spotlight | Afghanistan
Armed security companies prepare for the start of a new era in Kabul

Along with Iraq, Afghanistan has been an eldorado for armed security companies over the last 20 years. With the departure of American troops on 30 August, that market suddenly dried up. This does not mean, however, that the country will no longer need armed security companies.

Afghanistan, United States
DynCorp's string of legal woes continues

Dyncorp's defeats in its legal disputes with the US Army and other clients in Afghanistan have dealt an additional blow to the group, which used to be one of the Pentagon's main contractors.