Following the expulsion of hundreds of diplomats from Europe, Russian intelligence has shifted from professional espionage to using vulnerable recruits for low-level sabotage and disruptive operations. This “disposable” network, operating with minimal training, focuses on creating panic, exploiting social divisions, and undermining support for Ukraine.
According to Politico Europe report, the shift reflects the erosion of Russia’s traditional intelligence infrastructure after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In 2024, European countries had expelled about 600 Russian diplomats. The result has been a move away from trained officers operating under diplomatic cover and toward the recruitment of refugees, migrants, students, and other groups for intelligence, sabotage, and influence operations inside NATO countries.
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How recruitment works
The case of “Ivan,” a 21-year-old Moscow student, shows how the system operates.
He was detained at an airport, where FSB officers reportedly used personal details – including debts and information about his family – to identify pressure points. He was then given a choice: cooperate or face up to 15 years in prison on extremism charges.
What followed was not dramatic spy tradecraft, but steady control. Over more than two years, handlers mixed casual contact and holiday greetings with threats, including warnings not to make them “chase” him.
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