Putin took advantage of the Russians’ flight from mobilization and deliberately kept the borders open to send spies to the EU with them, The Wall Street Journal writes, citing European officials: this is how the Russian president decided to replenish the ranks of agents after many Russian diplomats were expelled back to Russia.
Russian agents are now becoming more daring and resourceful in suppressing dissent abroad, the publication notes. They may be behind the high-profile murders of Russian defectors, including Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who hijacked a Russian Armed Forces helicopter to Ukraine in 2023 and was shot dead in Spain in mid-February.
The material mentions other mysterious deaths of Russians who have died on three continents since the beginning of the full-scale Russian war against Ukraine. Thus, Russian businessmen were found hanged in London and drowned in Puerto Rico. A United Russia deputy fell from the roof of an Indian hotel, and a 46-year-old deputy science minister died of an unexplained illness on a flight from Cuba. As noted, there is no evidence that the Kremlin is behind these incidents, at the same time Wikipedia published a list of 51 names under the title «Suspicious deaths of Russian businessmen (2022-2024).»
Under the guise of Russians fleeing mobilization, about ten officers of the SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service, and at least two GRU military intelligence officers arrived in Cyprus.
Among other things, they monitor anti-war Telegram channels, participate in discussions on various topics there, and keep an eye on participants in pro-Ukrainian rallies and anti-Russian events. They also take part in anti-Russian rallies. They look for work, complain about problems related to relocation, and shout loudly about their anti-Putin stance.
They make acquaintances among Ukrainians and «good Russians». At least one of them is known to the local authorities.
Two of them arrived in the occupied part of Cyprus via Turkey and are now spying there in Nicosia.
The largest concentration of these pseudo-fugitives from Putin’s mobilization is in Limassol. They are regulars at anti-Putin hangouts and participate in the activities of the Cypriot IT community. They infiltrated there with the help of their colleagues, who are also members of the Russian security services, but who arrived in Cyprus earlier and have been operating on the island for many years, mostly under the guise of IT specialists and restaurateurs.
Their activities are not limited to surveillance. They are actively engaged in military and industrial espionage and recruitment of locals and Russian citizens, promising them to solve their problems in their home country in case of their return, or simply buy those who need money and are not burdened with moral principles.