Ukrainian intelligence (SBU) claimed to have killed Russian FSB agents involved in the assassination of Ukrainian Colonel Ivan Voronych in Kyiv, during a special operation that resulted in the agents resisting and being liquidated. The operation highlights ongoing covert conflicts between Ukraine and Russia amid the broader war, with Ukraine also reporting Russian drone attacks causing civilian casualties.
A German-Russian citizen has been arrested in Russia for allegedly planning to sabotage a railway line in Nizhny Novgorod on behalf of Ukraine's SBU security service, according to Russia's FSB. The man reportedly had an improvised explosive device and was in contact with the SBU. A video shows him confessing to being paid to derail a freight train. Neither Germany nor Ukraine has commented on the case.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) allegedly implanted spyware on the Android device of Kirill Parubets, a Russian programmer accused of supporting Ukraine. The spyware, discovered through a joint investigation by First Department and Citizen Lab, was hidden in a trojanized version of the Cube Call Recorder app and allowed extensive surveillance capabilities. The case highlights the risks of device compromise when in the custody of hostile security services. The spyware shares similarities with Monokle, suggesting a possible codebase reuse.
Russian programmer Kirill Parubets outsmarted the FSB by identifying spyware on his phone after it was confiscated during his detention for allegedly sending money to Ukraine. Parubets, who was threatened with life imprisonment if he didn't cooperate with the FSB, managed to flee Russia with his wife before being fully recruited. His phone was found to have a trojanized app linked to the Monokle spyware family, highlighting the risks of device compromise by security services. Citizen Lab advises those in similar situations to seek expert analysis of their devices.
Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has seen a significant rise in treason and espionage cases, reminiscent of Soviet-era show trials. These cases, often prosecuted in secrecy by the FSB, have targeted a wide range of individuals, including scientists, journalists, and opposition figures. The legal definition of treason was expanded in 2012, leading to more prosecutions, often with little evidence. The crackdown is seen as a way for authorities to suppress dissent and demonstrate the regime's fragility amid ongoing political turmoil.
The FSB, with Kremlin approval, has begun a sweeping purge of Russian military elites, arresting top officers to root out corruption and blame them for the failed 2022 Ukraine invasion. This move, seen as a power struggle between the FSB and the Defense Ministry, risks destabilizing the military during a critical phase of the war. The campaign highlights the FSB's growing influence and control over military resources.
Russia's FSB has detained four suspects in Dagestan, alleging their involvement in providing weapons and funds to the gunmen who attacked a Moscow concert hall in March, killing 144 people. The suspects are said to be foreign nationals, and their arrest follows that of the four suspected gunmen and seven others accused of involvement in the attack. An affiliate of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, while President Putin alleged, without evidence, involvement of Ukraine and the West. Additionally, a Moscow court ordered a suspected accomplice of the attackers to two months in pretrial detention.
Russia's FSB has arrested three individuals from a Central Asian country who were planning a terrorist attack in the southern Stavropol region, with ingredients for an improvised explosive device found at one suspect's home. This comes a week after the deadly massacre at the Crocus City concert hall near Moscow, and the Stavropol region borders Dagestan and Chechnya in the North Caucasus.
The director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has accused Ukraine, the United States, and Britain of involvement in the recent deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow, which killed at least 139 people. Ukraine has denied the accusations, while Russia has provided no evidence for its claims. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the FSB chief alleges that Western special services facilitated the action. The accusations come amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West, with the FSB chief suggesting that retaliatory measures will be taken.
The director of Russia's FSB has made a bizarre claim that the US, UK, and Ukraine were involved in the recent Moscow concert hall attack, despite ISIS claiming responsibility and the US warning Russia of an imminent attack. The Kremlin's attempt to deflect questions about Russian security services' failure and justify Putin's invasion of Ukraine has led to accusations against Kyiv, which Ukrainian officials have refuted. Russian officials have also accused Ukraine and its allies of involvement, while Belarus president Lukashenko contradicted Putin's claim that Ukraine facilitated the attackers' escape. The four suspects, citizens of Tajikistan, appeared in a Moscow court on terrorism charges, and Putin has acknowledged radical Islamists as the perpetrators.
The director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) accused the US, UK, and Ukraine of being behind the recent Moscow concert hall attack, despite Islamic State claiming responsibility. Russian officials, including President Putin, have persistently linked the attack to Ukraine and the West, despite denials and evidence pointing to Islamic State's involvement. The FSB director alleged that Western and Ukrainian spy agencies assisted radical Islamists in carrying out the attack, while also acknowledging receiving a US tip about the attack. The attack, which killed 139 people, has left about 90 people hospitalized, with 22 in grave condition.
The director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, has accused the United States, Britain, and Ukraine of being behind the recent Moscow concert hall attack that claimed the lives of at least 139 people, despite Western countries attributing the attack to ISIS-K, the Afghan offshoot of the Islamic State militant group. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the FSB spy network to assist Russian businesses in countering Western sanctions and expanding into new markets, reflecting Moscow's efforts to counter tightening trade restrictions from the West. This move comes amid increased Russian spy activity since the war in Ukraine, as Russia seeks to maintain its resilient economy by pivoting trade to alternative markets while facing pressure from the West to close loopholes in its sanctions regime.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the FSB to hunt down and "punish" Russians who have betrayed the country by fighting with Ukrainians against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Militia groups, such as the Russian Volunteer Corps, have been carrying out attacks inside Russian territory, leading to casualties and chaos in border regions. Putin has called for strengthening anti-terrorism operations and border security, while also considering establishing a "buffer" zone along the Ukraine border. Meanwhile, Ukraine has denied responsibility for the cross-border raids but admitted to working with anti-Kremlin groups when they operate within Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the Federal Security Service (FSB) to identify and punish "traitors" without time limitations, urging increased antiterror work in response to perceived threats from Ukraine. The FSB, historically linked to controversial operations including the 1999 apartment bombings and the poisoning of dissidents like Alexei Navalny and Sergei Skripal, has been described as Putin's "dirty tricks squad." Additionally, a top Kremlin official labeled anti-Putin protesters as "traitors" for their demonstrations at polling stations.
