Russian Intelligence Agencies Have Turned to Mercenaries: How the Kremlin Is Planning Terror Attacks in the US and Europe

Russian intelligence agencies are being forced to change their approaches to operations abroad following the mass exposure of agents and tighter controls on entry into Western countries. Instead of full-time spies, the Kremlin is increasingly recruiting foreigners to carry out sabotage, arson, and assassination plots in an effort to expand its network of agents and intimidate its opponents.

Bulgarian journalist and Bellingcat investigator Hristo Grozev explained in an exclusive interview with Channel 24 how Russia recruits operatives for missions in the U.S. and Europe, why its intelligence services pay particular attention to people from South American countries, and how the Kremlin is trying to influence Western political elites. In addition, he analyzed why Russian operations could backfire on Moscow itself and how the West’s response to sabotage and attempted political assassinations is changing.

The Crisis of Human Intelligence Agents and the Shift to Outsourcing

After the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian intelligence faced a serious logistical and operational crisis. Strict visa restrictions, heightened background checks, and the mass exposure of career intelligence officers made it virtually impossible to use traditional full-time spies to carry out missions abroad.

As a result, Russian intelligence agencies were forced to radically change their approach, shifting to the mass recruitment of foreign mercenaries.

Currently, dozens of separate units operate within the FSB and the GRU, functioning on the principle of an innovative market. They seek operatives among ordinary foreigners, for whom crossing borders is significantly easier. The range of tasks for such “freelancers” varies from petty hooliganism (writing anti-Ukrainian or provocative graffiti) and arson to organizing contract killings of the Kremlin’s political opponents.

A South American Trail in the U.S.

A new category of recruited agents is drawing particular attention: citizens of South American countries, particularly Cuba and Venezuela. The choice of these countries is no coincidence: due to the difficult economic situation, local residents are willing to take risks for sums that, by Western standards, are relatively small.

For example, perpetrators were offered about $40,000 to eliminate Russian opposition figures in the U.S. Although the total budget allocated by Russian oligarchs for such operations may reach tens of millions of dollars, the lion’s share of these funds ends up in the pockets of supervisors from the FSB, such as Colonel Yuri Khrameev and his leadership.

Please note! The U.S.Department of Justice reported that it had neutralized a “ intelligence network ” recruited by Russian intelligence agencies, which was planning the assassination of pro-Ukrainian activists and dissidents in the U.S. and European countries. In addition, members of the group are suspected of organizing arson and acts of sabotage against the critical infrastructure of Ukraine’s partner nations.

The recruitment scheme works as follows: potential operatives are invited to Russia under the guise of legal employment unrelated to the war. They are then forced to recruit their acquaintances who are already residing in the United States, whether legally or illegally. In this way, the Kremlin is creating a network of agents directly within American immigrant communities.

Breaking the Unwritten Rules and Washington’s Response

The actions of the Russian intelligence services constituted a direct violation of the unwritten rules of the game that had existed between Moscow and Washington for the past 50 years. Historically, Russia has refrained from organizing political assassinations on U.S. soil. Moreover, the Cuban and Venezuelan diasporas have always been considered the exclusive sphere of influence of U.S. intelligence agencies. The FSB’s infiltration of these communities has become an unprecedented challenge to U.S. national security.

This move provoked a harsh reaction from the U.S. law enforcement system. The recent indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice against Khrameyev’s spy ring is a unique document. In it, the FBI not only reveals details of the planning of assassination attempts against Russian opposition figures (including Garry Kasparov, Ilya Ponomarev, and Vladimir Kara-Murza), but also openly lists all of Russia’s acts of aggression against Western countries over the past 15 years.

This is a clear signal to the Kremlin that the era of tolerance is over. Even members of Donald Trump’s team – on whose loyalty Moscow had counted – perceived these actions as a personal insult, since Russia violated long-standing agreements precisely during the period of their political activity.

The Failure of the Intimidation Strategy in Europe

In parallel with operations in the U.S., Russian military intelligence continues an aggressive campaign in Europe. Special units are responsible for these operations, notably the 15th GRU Center under the supervision of General Vladimir Alekseev. Their targets include not only political dissidents but also key figures in the European military-industrial complex.

There have been known cases of “planning of assassination attempts” against the heads of leading German defense companies, such as Rheinmetall (which supplies tanks to Ukraine) and Rohde & Schwarz (a manufacturer of critical electronics). The goal of these operations is clear – to sow fear among European business leaders and politicians, forcing them to withdraw their support for Ukraine.

However, this strategy is having the exact opposite effect. Instead of panic and concessions, European countries are demonstrating unprecedented unity. Germany, which previously tried to avoid drastic measures, is now openly accusing Russia of sabotage and stepping up security measures.

Europe’s political elites have realized that attempts to appease the aggressor only provoke new attacks. The Kremlin’s hybrid war, which was intended to paralyze the West’s resolve, has instead become a catalyst for a definitive severing of ties with Russia and an increase in military aid to Ukraine.