Russia views negotiations with the Trump administration to restore its diplomatic presence in the United States as an opportunity to rebuild its spy network in the West.
Points of attention
- Russia is seeking to rebuild its spy network in the United States under the guise of diplomatic presence, viewing negotiations with the Trump administration as an opportunity.
- The restoration of the Russian spy network in the US could pose significant risks to national security, as it may require increased FBI counterintelligence resources.
- US officials are concerned about the potential return of Russian operatives, especially after more than 100 diplomats were expelled on suspicion of espionage.
Russia seeks to restore spy network in the US
This is what current and former American officials say.
The United States and Russia have agreed to begin talks on reopening their embassies and consulates after Trump's inauguration, and American and Western officials see the talks as a significant concession to Moscow, which is seeking to restore the operation of spies under diplomatic cover in its embassies and consulates in Washington, New York and Houston.
According to two American officials, the issue is so high-priority that the Russians are holding off on holding another summit until significant progress is made on restoring Russia's presence in the United States.
Since 2016, the US has expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats suspected of espionage, and after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian agents were expelled en masse from Europe.
Moscow has been without an ambassador in Washington since last October, when Ambassador Anatoly Antonov left his post. A Western intelligence official said that restoring a spy network in the United States was “a priority” for Russia.
Moscow has been particularly fixated for years on returning its diplomatic facilities in San Francisco, New York and Washington, which the US seized in 2017 in response to Russian interference in the 2016 election, the sources said. In 2018, Trump also closed the Russian consulate in Seattle because of its proximity to a US submarine base, Naval Base Kitsap.
A congressional official familiar with intelligence on previously expelled Russian “diplomats” called it “extremely troubling” that Russian personnel could return in larger numbers.
The latest wave of deportations consisted almost entirely of undercover operatives. It's absolutely ridiculous that this is even possible, given how much it threatens US national security, and how it would require more FBI counterintelligence resources, especially as the FBI faces staff cuts and layoffs.
American intelligence and FBI agents have long believed that the size of Russia's diplomatic presence in the United States should be limited.
However, according to one American official, the strengthening of the Russian diplomatic presence in the United States could create new opportunities for the FBI, as it would then make the technical collection of Russian communications easier.
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- Додати до обраного
