Silent Enemies: How the GRU and FSB are Waging a Shadow War Against America and the West
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) is Russia’s domestic intelligence agency and is responsible for a wide range of intelligence and counterintelligence activities both inside and outside of Russia, including surveillance, recruitment, cyber espionage, covert operations, honeypot operations, and assassinations.
Russia has two primary intelligence agencies, the FSB and the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), and each has distinct responsibilities and capabilities. The FSB is primarily responsible for domestic operations, while the GRU is focused on foreign intelligence gathering and covert operations. Nonetheless, they often collaborate and coordinate their efforts when their missions against Western democratic governments intersect.
They share information and intelligence. The FSB may provide the GRU with information about domestic individuals or organizations that are of interest to the GRU’s foreign intelligence operations. In contrast, the GRU may provide the FSB with information about foreign actors or groups that are deemed to pose a threat to Russia’s autocratic regime. The two agencies often work alongside each other for intelligence gathering and for counterintelligence operations against the West.
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Both the FBS and GRU are ultimately subordinate to the Russian government and its leadership. As a result, their activities and operations are coordinated and directed at the highest levels of government to advance Russia’s geopolitical interests.
In “MISSION OF VENGEANCE” (part 1) and “THE SHADOW WAR” (part 2), Russian intelligence sends assassins to kill CIA operatives. These two novels showcase just how brutal the GRU and FSB have become in their intelligence gathering, espionage, and counterintelligence operations against the U.S. and freedom-loving democracies.
The activities of the GRU and FSB have had a significant impact on American interests and individuals in recent years. They have been linked to numerous incidents that have resulted in harm to Americans and US interests. For example, the FSB has been accused of hacking into the Democratic National Committee’s email system during the 2016 US presidential election, leading to the release of sensitive information that was damaging to the Democratic Party. The GRU has also been implicated in various cyberattacks, including the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack, which affected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide, including in the United States.
Additionally, both agencies have been linked to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK in 2018, as well as the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020. These incidents not only pose a threat to the individuals directly involved but also to the broader international community and the rule of law.
Overall, the actions of the GRU and FSB demonstrate the continued threat posed by Russian intelligence agencies to US national security and American citizens. It is clear that their reach is vast and formidable. From infiltration and recruitment of foreign intelligence operatives and agents to cyber espionage and hacking aimed at stealing sensitive information, disrupting critical infrastructure, and influencing foreign elections, to covert operations and disinformation campaigns designed to manipulate public opinion and sow political discord in foreign countries, the GRU and FSB are advancing Russia’s authoritarian geopolitical interests.
The threat they pose should not be underestimated, and vigilance and a proactive stance against their activities are critical to protecting American interests both at home and abroad.
Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thrillers: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.