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| Former Russian spy Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, both victims of a 2018 GRU assassination attempt in the UK, were poisoned with a deadly nerve agent, highlighting the lethal reach of Russian intelligence. |
Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB,
isn’t just your run-of-the-mill domestic spy agency. It's the backbone of
Russia’s intelligence operations, handling everything from surveillance and
recruitment to cyber espionage, covert missions, honeypot traps, and even
assassinations. If you think James Bond’s MI6 is hardcore, think again—this is
the real deal, and they play for keeps.
Russia has two big players in the
intelligence game: the FSB and the GRU, which is short for Main Intelligence
Directorate. While the FSB handles things on the homefront, the GRU is out
there pulling the strings on the international stage. But make no mistake, when
it comes to their missions—especially when those missions target Western
governments—these two powerhouses work hand in hand.
The FSB digs up dirt on someone inside
Russia who might be interesting to the GRU’s foreign ops, and just like that,
they hand it over. On the flip side, the GRU might stumble across some foreign
threat, and that intel goes straight to the FSB. They’re like two deadly chess
players, working the board from different angles but always with the same goal
in mind—protect Russia’s regime and expand its influence.
At the end of the day, both of them answer
to the top brass in Moscow. Their missions aren’t just spur-of-the-moment
whims; they’re calculated moves in Russia’s grand geopolitical chess game,
orchestrated at the very highest levels of government.
In my spy thriller, Mission
of Vengeance, you’ll see just how ruthless these agencies can be. The
GRU and FSB aren’t just shadowy organizations lurking in the background—they’re
the ones sending assassins to take out CIA operatives. Their brand of espionage
and counterintelligence is brutal, and they’ll stop at nothing to get what they
want, especially when it comes to crushing U.S. interests and weakening
democratic nations.
And it’s not just fiction. In real life,
the FSB and GRU have been responsible for some serious damage to U.S. interests
in recent years. Remember the 2016 U.S. presidential election? The FSB was
accused of hacking into the Democratic National Committee’s email system,
releasing sensitive info that stirred up chaos.
And the GRU? Well, they’ve been tied to
cyberattacks like the 2017 WannaCry ransomware incident, which crippled
hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide, including in the U.S.
But it doesn’t stop at computers. These
guys go after people too—just ask former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who was
poisoned along with his daughter in the UK back in 2018. Or take the late Russian
opposition leader Alexei Navalny, poisoned in 2020. These aren’t isolated
incidents—they’re part of a disturbing pattern, and it’s not just the targets
who are at risk. The whole international community and the rule of law take a
hit every time these operations go down.
So, why should you care? Because the GRU
and FSB aren’t just coming after a few individuals—they’re coming for U.S.
national security and American citizens. Their reach is long, and their methods
are sophisticated. They’re infiltrating foreign intelligence services,
recruiting spies, and running cyberattacks aimed at stealing secrets,
disrupting vital infrastructure, and even meddling in elections. And let’s not
forget their disinformation campaigns—designed to mess with your mind, spread
lies, and create division wherever they can.
Bottom line? These guys are playing for
keeps, and we’ve got to stay sharp, stay vigilant, and be proactive in
countering their moves. The threat is real, and it’s not going away anytime
soon.
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.
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