The GuardianThe Guardian

Russia turning to sleeper cells and unofficial agents

By Shaun Walker

15 Aug 2023 · 3 min read

informed Summary

  1. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has had to resort to riskier and less conventional methods of spying due to the expulsion of many of its spies placed under diplomatic cover in Europe.

An Argentinian couple living in Slovenia, a Mexican-Greek photographer who ran a yarn shop in Athens and now three Bulgarians arrested in Britain. Over the past year, police and security services across the globe have accused numerous people living apparently innocuous lives with being Russian intelligence agents or operatives.

Many others have been accused of passing information to Russia, including a security guard at the British embassy in Berlin, sentenced to 13 years in prison, and more than a dozen people arrested in Poland accused of carrying out various tasks for Russian intelligence.

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