After losing around 700 spies operating under diplomatic cover, Russia has intensified efforts to recruit “single-use” civilian agents in European countries.
According to Ukrinform, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reported this.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European intelligence services have expelled approximately 700 Russian operatives working under the guise of diplomatic missions.
The largest expulsions took place in Bulgaria, where 82 representatives of Russian diplomatic institutions were declared persona non grata. Germany expelled 65 individuals, Poland — 58, Romania — 52, Slovakia — 39, and the Netherlands and Slovenia — 34 each.
“After losing its network under diplomatic cover, Russian intelligence services shifted to recruiting ‘single-use’ agents from among civilians in Europe,” the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine noted.
In Poland, 47 cases of espionage in favor of Russia have been recorded, 20 in Estonia, 19 in Latvia, 12 in Germany, and 10 in the United Kingdom. In total, 130 people across 12 European countries have been accused of working for the Russian Federation.
Russian recruiters actively use the internet, social media, church communities, sports clubs, and public events to identify potential operatives.
According to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, such individuals are usually recruited only once — to obtain specific information or perform a particular task. This tactic is part of Russia’s hybrid strategy aimed at undermining the security of European states.
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine urged Ukrainians and citizens of other countries to remain vigilant and not become instruments of Russian aggression.
As reported by Ukrinform, Russia has deliberately flooded the information space with provocative statements and information operations, seeking to create cover for both overt and covert attacks against Europe over recent years.
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