Russia
Siloviki eye facial recognition as potential windfall in their search for funds

Russia
Moscow tightens administrative grip on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory

Kremlin ideologues are preparing elections in Ukraine's Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donbass regions in a bid to strengthen Moscow's administrative control.

Russia
Kremlin-linked Kiriyenkos consolidate influence over cyber and big data markets

Anton Gerasimov's appointment as deputy head of the Ministry of Emergencies adds another link in the chain forming between the Ministry of Digitalisation and Rostelecom around presidential adviser Sergey Kiriyenko.

Belarus, Europe
Belarusian opposition's lobbying rubs European Council the wrong way

The lawsuit between Brussels and facial recognition provider Synesis put the anti-Lukashenko organisation Bypol in the hotseat. Ex-Cop Alexander Azarov's already fragile reputation has taken yet another blow.

The Intelligence Gazette
Moldovan security council, Russia's data border crack down, Xi Jinping and Moscow, Ankara struggling with PKK

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community. This week, we bring news from Ankara, Moscow, Chisinau and Beijing.

MoldovaPresidential cabinet musical chairs.

RussiaRoskomnadzor strengthens border controls.

China/RussiaBeijing gets involved in peace efforts in Europe.

Turkey/IraqAnkara searches for equipment to fight PKK in northern Iraq.

Belarus
Belarusian facial recognition company set to get a hearing before the EU Court of Justice

Belarusian facial recognition firm Synesis has been fighting for 18 months against an EU decision to sanction it for its alleged role in the repression of protests against the election of Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020.

Russia
Boosted by Kremlin, telecoms regulator Roskomnadzor steps up surveillance projects

The state control agency is playing an increasingly central role in the setting-up of a "sovereign internet" wanted by the Kremlin. Moscow is especially counting on the agency's public communications network surveillance and control centre, headed by ex-FSO officer Sergei Khutortsev.

Russia
Russia's digital development minister caught in power struggle between Kremlin rivals

Maksut Shadayev has come under various forms of pressure behind the scenes in recent weeks. Shadayev, a protege of Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Kiriyenko, has a say over a number of crucial security contracts.

Russia
Rostec emerges top dog as Moscow elite jostle for positions

Through skilled lobbying on several fronts, the state-owned defence conglomerate has won a round in the fight for resources and political visibility in a country fixated with the war on Ukraine.

Belarus, European Union, United States
APCO working on both sides of Belarusian unrest

Washington-based lobbying giant APCO just terminated a contract it had just signed with dissident Sviatlana Tskihanouskaya. From Vilnius, she is leading a movement opposing the regime in Minsk. In 2021, APCO briefly represented the opposite side.

Russia
Ruselectronics at centre of Russian Safe City monitoring programme

Border surveillance, which has returned to the top of the list of critical projects carried out by the Rostec arms conglomerate, is mobilising all the know-how of its subsidiary Ruselectronics. Moscow has decided to move up a gear in the Safe City programme.

Russia, Ukraine, United States
Igor Lopatonok carries the torch of Russian influence in Hollywood

The Ukrainian-born filmmaker and executive producer of "Snowden", Igor Lopatonok is now both a US and Russian citizen, making him a prime relay of pro-Kremlin positions in California.

Europe
Alexei Oleskin still under threat of EU sanctions in latest Belarusian roulette round

According to our sources, a battle is raging in the Council of the European Union over whom to include on [...]