FSB

Armenia, Russia
Russia's FSB tightens its grip in Armenia

After its invason of Ukraine, European governments are nervous about Moscow stirring separatist tensions in other countries, such as Moldova. But the Caucasus remains the sensitive spot, with Russia strengthening its ties with Armenia's intelligence services.

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.

Belarus
Power-struggles cause turmoil in Minsk security circles

Smear campaigns, orchestrated leaks and a coup plot: with Belarus' role in the war in Ukraine in the balance, the country's political and security elite have been struggling to have President Alexander Lukashenko's ear and the support of the intelligence services.

Ukraine
Russian-Dutch OSINT firm Social Links suffers collateral damage from Ukraine war

The Russian-founded open source intelligence company Social Links, which is seeking to distance itself from Moscow, is taking flak over its alleged links to Russian intelligence.

France, Russia
As top French firms quit Russia, what next for their local security contractors?

Russian private security firms, known as "chops", are continuing to prosper in Moscow, even though some of their top clients from France - CAC40 companies - are pulling out of the Russian market.

Russia, United States
US intelligence got confirmation of Russia's plans to invade Ukraine on 18 January

After regular alerts over a two-month period, American intelligence services were able to corroborate their suspicions about Russia's intentions towards Ukraine on 18 January. It was on this date that Washington was finally able to assemble the trail of clues left by Moscow into a coherent whole.

Europe, Russia
Ukraine war plunges Russian embassies in Europe into uncertainty

Moscow's diplomatic missions in Western Europe, which parrot the Kremlin line on the Ukraine conflict, remain suspended on the fate of Western embassies in the Russian capital. This is despite the fact that, the expulsions of the last few years notwithstanding, the embassies last year were boosted by the arrival of new intelligence officers.

The Agencies' Gazette
Rosfinmonitoring, Pakistan's ISI

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

RussiaFinancial intelligence gagged

PakistanInter-Services Intelligence Peshawar network slips up

Kazakhstan, Turkey, UAE
In view of Ukraine, Kazakhstan is ramping up its defence agreements and contracts

While the majority of Central Asian countries remain cautiously neutral on the war in Ukraine, Kazakhstan appears to have become the key focal point in the region for European and Asian countries. While maintaining a measured impartiality, Nur-Sultan has continued to reorganise and modernise its internal security and defence apparatus.

United States
FTI has front row seat of battle by ex-US intelligence official wrongly accused of spying

After being accused of being a foreign power's mole by the Department of Commerce's security office when he was in charge of monitoring the export of sensitive technolgies, Stephen Wilcox, FTI's new director of export regulations and sanctions in DC, has filed a civil suit for damages.

France, Russia, Ukraine
How Paris prepared its intelligence services for the Russian offensive in Ukraine

France was quick to set aside its reservations about the likelihood of an imminent Russian invasion and put its intelligence services and military units on standby a few hours before it started. The main focus was then to make up for its human resource gaps.