Federal Security Service

Why Russia Wants to See California Secede

The Kremlin has a long history dealing with secessionist movements within the Russian and Soviet empires. Now Moscow is using the experience to weaponize secession movements elsewhere.

Trump must counter Vladimir Putin’s coming deception games — here’s how

Vladimir Putin’s regime is readying a new bag of diplomatic tricks for the second Trump administration, as the Kremlin angles to lure Trump’s incoming national-security team into helping...

Is Russia Raising Specter of ‘Dirty Bomb’ to Prime Public for False Flag?

Russia has vast playbook full of “dirty tricks” by which it can deceive public opinion and distort perception of reality. History show that false flag operations have always been a viable option.

Biden’s massive Russian prisoner swap comes with major trouble for next president

Swap freed prominent prisoners held by Russia, but Biden may incentivize more hostage taking

America held hostage

Rewarding thugs is not an adequate policy response

Time to Tell Russians They Are No Longer Safe

Russia relies heavily on propaganda and disinformation. In the wake of the ISIS attack in Moscow, the West should use the truth to let Russians know how Putin has failed them.

­IAEA Condemns Drone Strikes on Russian-Occupied Ukrainian Nuclear Plant

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi on April 11 condemned three recent drone strikes on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), although it remains unclear...

Terror Exposes Putin’s Broken Promise—And Worse Will Come

Despite the world’s natural compassion for those who were killed on Friday, as a policy, the United States should resist the temptation to make common cause with Putinism against terrorism. Deals with Putin go one way—to hell.

Going Nuclear on Rosatom

Ending Global Dependence on Putin's Nuclear Energy Sector

Russia Is Not the Champion of Christian and Traditional Values

For years, Putin has sought to present Russia as the champion of Christian and traditional values. He portrays the West as a dystopia of decadence, where elites push “strange and trendy ideas like...

Building Partner Capabilities for Cyber Operations

Turn Russia’s paranoia against it: Fight back in the information war

A Russian bureaucrat and his wife are at home with their child. They’re disillusioned, asking themselves, “Is it the kind of life I dreamt of?” Then the man decides to contact the CIA. “We...

How Sanctions Can Help Bring Home American Hostages

The Levinson Act allows the administration to target individuals, not just organizations.

Ruble Rumble

Offensive and Defensive Measures to Defeat Russia in the Economic Domain

Russia seeking to poison American political discourse leading up to midterm elections

Right now, the eyes of the world are focused on Russian aggression in Ukraine and escalating threats from Vladimir Putin. But Russia’s playbook goes well beyond Ukraine, including retaliation against...

Possible Futures for Russia’s CEEW Playbook

Amnesty Report Endangers Ukrainian Civilians

Russia may have banned Amnesty International in April for reporting on Russian atrocities, but the human rights group’s August 4 report, titled “Ukrainian fighting tactics endanger civilians,”...

Time to Sanction the Kremlin’s Ministry of Truth

When media platforms obey their paymasters’ orders to become complicit in their crimes, they are no longer media.

Foreign Disinformation: What the US Government Can Start Doing Now

The Kremlin is engaged in a “global influence campaign to destabilize sovereign countries,” including the United States, the U.S. Treasury Department reaffirmed, as it slapped sanctions on four Ukrainians...

Collusion or Collision?

Turkey-Russia Relations Under Erdogan and Putin