Security

Iran, Israel
Under new bosses Aman and Mossad still disagree over Iran nuclear deal

While an Iran nuclear deal seems some way off once again, Israel's intelligence community is divided again over the benefits of successful negotiations.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United Kingdom
Central Asian intelligence services take a first step towards their British counterparts

Although they are being careful to maintain their relations with their Russian counterparts, the Kazakh and Kyrgyz intelligence services are widening their contact network.

Iran, Iraq
Iran's industries go after Kurdistan oil and gas

Targetting the few opportunities still open to them, Iran's oil and gas players are prospecting in Iraqi Kurdistan. Hoping to exploit the dispute between Baghdad and Erbil, they came in droves to the Erbil International Fair.

Europe, Kazakhstan
Advisory firm Project Associates helps Kazakh national oil company to boost exports

Kazakhstan's national oil and gas company KazMunayGas, which is keen to raise its profile among its European clients, has called in veteran British online influencing firm Project Associates. Its aim is to promote alternative oil export routes to reduce its dependence on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.

The Corporate Intelligence Village Voice
EIB increases investigations spending, Nardello, Herminius, TDI Sustainability, Enyo

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: each week, we report on developments big and small in the global corporate intelligence community. This week, we report from Luxembourg, London and Brussels.

LuxembourgEIB boosts corporate intelligence budget.

LondonFCDO veteran Kilby joins Herminius.

LondonFormer Alaco staffer becomes MD at Nardello's London office.

BrusselsEuropean Commission brings in specialist conflict minerals investigators.

LondonEnyo sends in lawyers to ICSID

France
London's Aperio keeps faith in Paris opportunities

Still hoping to carve a niche for itself in the French corporate intelligence world, Aperio Intelligence has overhauled its Paris office.

China, Iraq
Beijing at odds with Barzani clan over $5bn 'happy city'

Iraq is a key step in China's new silk road project and Beijing intends to invest heavily in the autonomous region of Kurdistan. But its plans to build a new district in Ebril, already two years behind schedule, are now under threat.

Ukraine
Kyiv plans tighter administrative control in Russian-controlled territories

Capitalising on what it presents as major successes, Ukraine is making the most of strong public support to plan the next counteroffensive over the coming weeks. Kyiv has drawn up a new plan giving more powers to local administrators as the territories are clawed back.

Russia, San Marino, Vatican
War in Ukraine: San Marino offers to be Vatican's diplomatic pedestal

Two consultants, one French, the other Russian, are working to shape and then promote Pope Francis's mediation efforts with Moscow and Kyiv. They would like to see the microstate of San Marino play host to future talks.

Azerbaijan
Deftech, the drone maker opening doors in Baku

The Azerbaijani drone manufacturer wants to help foreign players connect with the authorities in Baku, which are eager to develop a home-grown sector after Turkish and Israeli drones have proven their worth in the conflict with Armenia.

Belarus, Russia
Is Belarus about to go to war with Ukraine?

Since the announcement of a partial mobilisation in Russia and the possible transformation of the "special military operation" in Ukraine into an official war, all parties are evaluating the risk of direct involvement of Belarusian troops in the hostilities.

Israel
Former Psy-Group CEO Burstien returns to cyber influencing with Percepto

Former Israeli military intelligence colonel Royi Burstien, who was for a long time CEO of Israeli influencing company Psy-Group, which was closed after it came under investigation for its activities during Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, is today running cyber influencing company Percepto International.

The Intelligence Gazette
Russia's mobilisation, PUK ends internal feud, EU's foresight hub, France's cyber security plan at UN, defence attachés' battles in Indo-Pacific region

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, Intelligence Online reports on developments great and small in the global intelligence community. This week, we bring news from Moscow, Erbil, New York, Helsinki and Brussels.

RussiaMobilisation a pretext for settling scores between siloviki and opponents.

IraqThe Patriotic Union of Kurdistan puts end to internal feud.

European UnionEEAS seeks private sector contractor for future strategic foresight hub.

France/Germany/United StatesMacron tries to revive cyber action programme at UN.

United States/ChinaBattle of defence attachés in Indo-Pacific region.

France
Paris seeks to grasp the fluid concept of lawfare

"Lawfare", defined as the instrumentalisation of the law by a state for strategic purposes, is currently the focus of France's SGDSN defence and national security secretariat, which is looking for ways to counter US and soon Chinese regulations imposed on French industry.

Iraq, Turkey
Hakan Fidan makes his moves on Iraq's complex political chessboard

The Turkish spymaster, tasked with meeting Iraqi politicians, now stands accused of interfering in the country's internal affairs. But this hasn't stopped him discreetly calling for the formation of a government that would guarantee Ankara's security and economic interests.

North Korea, Russia, Ukraine
Pyongyang's planned military technology transfers from Donbass

North Korea is putting together the necessary infrastructure to collect and receive Western military systems seized in the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine, using proven methods to effect the illegal technology transfers.

The Tech Times
Avisa Partners lands EU cyber crisis management contract, Lynn Herrick off to SS8, Dafna Messing joins Koios

In SIGINT, GEOINT, OSINT and cyber, we report each week on developments great and small in the world of the technical intelligence providers.

Paris/Athens Avisa Partners to work on ENISA cyber crisis management

Milpitas Lynn Herrick takes charge of solutions engineering at SS8

Herzliya Former NSO staffer Dafna Messing heads to Koios