Latest news with #RussianOperatives
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
The Wild Russian Plot to Burn a London Restaurant and Kidnap Its Owner
When Hide opened in London's exclusive Mayfair district in 2018, the restaurant made headlines for its twisting bespoke timber staircase, its lavish wine menu and its rapidly won Michelin star. Last year, it drew attention for another reason. A group of small-time criminals in Britain were directed by Russian operatives to kidnap Hide's Russian owner, Yevgeny Chichvarkin — a vocal critic of President Vladimir V. Putin — and to burn the restaurant and a linked wine shop to the ground. The men were arrested before they carried out those orders, but not before they had completed a separate mission: setting fire to a Ukrainian-owned warehouse in East London in March 2024. Thousands of messages discovered by the police after the group's arrest, and made public during a monthlong trial at the Old Bailey courthouse in London, provide extraordinary insight into the workings of Russian operatives paying criminal gangs to conduct espionage and sabotage operations in Europe. Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'This case is clear example of an organization linked to the Russian state using 'proxies' to carry out very serious criminal activity in this country on their behalf.' On Tuesday, a jury found three men guilty of arson over the warehouse fire, and convicted a fourth man of failing to tell the police about the plans for Mr. Chichvarkin and his businesses. The two ringleaders of the group, Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves, had already admitted their roles in the extraordinary plot. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Sun
16-05-2025
- The Sun
Is THIS what a Russian spy looks like? Intel agency releases handy guide on how to spot a Putin operative in your midst
WHEN you think of a spy, you might imagine trench coats and secret dossiers, or perhaps the more glamorous image of vodka martinis and Aston Martins. But one Baltic nation has taken a more practical approach, issuing a handy guide on how its citizens can spot Russian operatives lurking in their midst. 6 6 6 One of Latvia's intelligence services has put out a list of telltale signs to help its population sniff out spies. An unkempt appearance and "insufficient hygiene" are listed as some of the top characteristics to look out for - a far cry from the crisp dinner jackets sported by James Bond. But don't expect all Russian spies in the Baltic state to look like they have been sleeping in a bush. A military-style haircut is also a possible indicator that you might be face-to-face with a secret agent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, asking nosy and intrusive questions of locals is also listed as something to look out for. And tourists who have little knowledge of the area but are surprisingly well-prepared for the great outdoors - such as with medical kits or radios - are also a big red flag. The Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD) has issued the list of characteristics this week to urge its citizens to be alert to threats and regional tensions. The agency said: "The Ukrainian experience shows that Russian special services are able to adapt to the environment and circumstances in which reconnaissance-saboteur groups are used. "Their members may not visually correspond to the classic reconnaissance-saboteur profile." Such Russian spies might also hang around near sensitive sights - or sleep in remote areas despite showing little interest in nature. Satellite pics show Putin on the march as Russia masses troops 35 miles from Nato border with 2k soldiers & helicopters But the agency warned citizens not to get their hands dirty with vigilante spy work - and to leave any action to the professionals. They made clear that if any suspicions are flagged, the police and military should take it from there. The agency said: "If you do think you might have spotted a sabotage group on Latvian soil, MIDD does not recommend tackling them yourself. "Instead report your suspicions to the State Police, special services, or the nearest armed forces unit.' 6 6 This comes as tensions between NATO countries and Russia continue to soar over Putin's barbaric and brutal invasion of Ukraine. Sweden and Finland - both of which joined NATO since 2022 - have been busily issuing booklets on how to survive a war or other disaster. Norway has also published a book with advice for such a scenario. The book reads: "We live in an increasingly turbulent world. "Even though in Norway most things generally function as they normally would, we must remain aware that extreme weather, pandemics, accidents, sabotage — and in the worst case acts of war — can impact us." Several instances of sabotage and arson across the west have been attributed to Russia by senior figures - although the Kremlin denies involvement. But even if a ceasefire is agreed, a top security think tank warns Russia could rebuild its military to a worrying capacity as early as 2027. And the International Institute for Strategic Studies has cautioned Putin could deploy his army onto a "war footing" and try to test NATO's Article 5 mutual defence agreement. 6
CNN
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Hackers are using AI-made voice messages to impersonate senior US officials, FBI warns
Hackers have been using AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior US government officials in an ongoing effort to break into the online accounts of current and former US officials, the FBI warned Thursday. The hackers, who the FBI did not identify, have since April sent text and voice message to targets, including federal and state officials, to try to cultivate a rapport with them, the bureau's public advisory said. The FBI is concerned about the potential ripple effect: Access to government or personal accounts could be used to target other government officials or their associates and contacts, it warned. The hackers could use the information they steal to 'to impersonate contacts to elicit information or funds,' the FBI said. It's unclear what the end goal of the hacking effort is or who is behind it. CNN has requested comment from an FBI spokesperson. Cheap and ubiquitous AI tools have made it far easier for scammers and spies to impersonate the friends, relatives and colleagues of just about anyone. And once they have hacked into an email or social media account, they can effectively take over the target's identity. During the 2024 US presidential election, Russian operatives pumped out AI-generated videos on social media to target American voters with false information about voter fraud, according to US intelligence agencies.
CNN
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Hackers are using AI-made voice messages to impersonate senior US officials, FBI warns
Hackers have been using AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior US government officials in an ongoing effort to break into the online accounts of current and former US officials, the FBI warned Thursday. The hackers, who the FBI did not identify, have since April sent text and voice message to targets, including federal and state officials, to try to cultivate a rapport with them, the bureau's public advisory said. The FBI is concerned about the potential ripple effect: Access to government or personal accounts could be used to target other government officials or their associates and contacts, it warned. The hackers could use the information they steal to 'to impersonate contacts to elicit information or funds,' the FBI said. It's unclear what the end goal of the hacking effort is or who is behind it. CNN has requested comment from an FBI spokesperson. Cheap and ubiquitous AI tools have made it far easier for scammers and spies to impersonate the friends, relatives and colleagues of just about anyone. And once they have hacked into an email or social media account, they can effectively take over the target's identity. During the 2024 US presidential election, Russian operatives pumped out AI-generated videos on social media to target American voters with false information about voter fraud, according to US intelligence agencies.
CNN
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Hackers are using AI-made voice messages to impersonate senior US officials, FBI warns
Hackers have been using AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior US government officials in an ongoing effort to break into the online accounts of current and former US officials, the FBI warned Thursday. The hackers, who the FBI did not identify, have since April sent text and voice message to targets, including federal and state officials, to try to cultivate a rapport with them, the bureau's public advisory said. The FBI is concerned about the potential ripple effect: Access to government or personal accounts could be used to target other government officials or their associates and contacts, it warned. The hackers could use the information they steal to 'to impersonate contacts to elicit information or funds,' the FBI said. It's unclear what the end goal of the hacking effort is or who is behind it. CNN has requested comment from an FBI spokesperson. Cheap and ubiquitous AI tools have made it far easier for scammers and spies to impersonate the friends, relatives and colleagues of just about anyone. And once they have hacked into an email or social media account, they can effectively take over the target's identity. During the 2024 US presidential election, Russian operatives pumped out AI-generated videos on social media to target American voters with false information about voter fraud, according to US intelligence agencies.
