Russian Intelligence Agency GRU behind attempted coup in Montenegro

According to the Montenegrin Prosecutor's Office Russian Main Intelligence Agency (GRU) are behind the attempted coup in Montenegro.

Riga-based online newspaper and news aggregator in the Russian language Menduza reported that "Eduard Shishmakov, former deputy military attache at the Russian Embassy in Poland, planned the murder of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on 16 October 2016".

Montenegro put Eduard Shirokov on the wanted list via Interpol. The Interpol database contains his photograph. On 19 February 2017 Montenegrin Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnic stated that the real name of one of the plotters was not Shirokov but Shishmakov.

According to Menduza, Shirokov and another suspect, Vladimir Popov, passed 200,000 euros to Serbian nationalist Aleksandar Sindjelic, who had fought in the Donbas on the side of the pro-Russian separatists, in order for him to find people to carry out the coup.

According to Balkan Insight, a publication of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), Shirokov worked earlier at the Russian Embassy in Poland and was thrown out of the country for espionage.

In November 2014 a Russian Embassy staffer suspected of working for the Russian Main Intelligence Agency (GRU) was expelled from Poland.
His name was not disclosed at the time. At that time Polish media reported that Shishmakov was a spy but Russian officials denied this

Meduza has found a reference to a staffer at the Russian Embassy in Poland by the name of Shishmakov.

A man described as deputy military attaché at the Russian Embassy in Poland, attending a commemorative event Polish veterans of World War II in 2013, resembling the person of the photograph in the Interpol database.

French Intelligence has no doubt that Russian Spies Will Try to Disrupt Presidential Campaign

The General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), the main French Intelligence Agency, has no doubt that Russian spies are going to try to repeat the Trump election stunt by revealing the data and emails of Presidential candidates.

According to French investigative newspaper Le Canard Enchaine "hackers are bursting with energy in their attempt to disrupt the French presidential campaign".

The leading target of their attacks is the site of candidate Emmanuel Macron. The site had to face with at least 100 intrusion attempts last November, when the former minister announced his candidacy.

Ever since the polls began raising hopes of Macron making it to the second round against Marine Le Pen next May, they again -- and suddenly -- increased. Last January, the site had to deal with 1,922 attacks, 907 of which came from Ukraine.

Sputnik, news websites and radio broadcast service established by the Russian government-controlled news agency Rossiya Segodnya, relayed the threats made by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who claims to have "interesting information" about Macron.

Assange said "the data come from the private correspondence of former American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton."

France's Intelligence Agencies are convinced that an influence operation is being prepared.

Russian Yandex blocks political campaigns fundraising

According to the online version of Moscow Radio Station Ekho Moskvy the Russian online payment service Yandex.Money has amended its user agreement blocking the possibility for fundraising political campaigns.

The Russian Central Bank denied an allegation by opposition politician Alexei Navalny that the bank was exerting pressure on Yandex.Money in order to block fundraising for Navalny's bid in the next presidential campaign.

The Central Bank said that it does not regulate elections and demanded an apology. Navalny described the bank's response as arrogant.

For his part, opposition Dmitry Gudkov suggested that Yandex.Money had received instructions to block political fundraising from Russian Intelligence Service (FSB) rather than the Central Bank.

Spanish National Police Arrests Peter Wakkie, a Businessman linked to Russian Hackers

On 16 January, the National Police arrested Peter Wakkie at Madrid's Barajas-Adolfo Suarez Airport.

According Spanish Daily El Mundo he is a businessmen linked to a Russian millionaire, Mikhail Fridman, whom the US intelligence services accuse of having aided Russian hackers to access the Democrat Party's servers, with the goal of favoring the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump.

According to police sources, Wakkie' arrest took place after 10!00 hours in the morning, at Barajas Airport, taking advantage of the fact that this businessman was planning to take part at a Zed+ investors meeting in Spain's capital.

Zed+ is a Dutch holding, which investors include a number of Spanish business leaders,  El Confidencial reported. According to this report, Zed+ is being investigated for continuously siphoning off funds to opaque corporations, in some cases in the hands of leading members of the Russian administration.

According to preliminary information in the hands of the Spanish Police's Financial and Tax Crime Unit (UDEF), those families include that of Interior Minister Alexander Kolokoltsev.

A number of intelligence services are investigating this corporate structure, which "brain" seems to be Mikhail Fridman. This Russian millionaire of Ukrainian descent appears in the report by a British spy that the US Intelligence Agencies sent to the US Administration and to the President elect last week.

One of the pages in the mentioned confidential report is devoted to Fridman, due to his friendship with Vladimir Putin and for allegedly having helped Russia access the Democrat Party's servers.

The Dark Side of Haftar. UN and EU consider sanctions for the Libyan General

Libya media (Afrigate News) reported today that a meeting was held yesterday at the headquarter of the General Command of the Libyan Armed forces in Al-Rajmah between General Khalifa Haftar, Prime Minister of the Transition Government Abdullah Al-Thini, self-suspended member of the Presidential Council Ali Al-Qatrani and the Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Gen. Abdelrazeq Al-Nadhouri.

According to well informed sources close to Al-Thini's entourage in Al-Baidha, the meeting aimed at bringing closer together the positions and views of Prime Minister Al-Thini and the Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces Khalifa Haftar after that last Wednesday the General visited the Russian Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.

"Al-Thini accused Haftar of a close and long relationship with French Intelligence Services"

Strong differences have emerged recently with regards to the mismanagement and shortfalls of several Government Ministries; the security situation in Sebha and the positions on key regional and international partners.

The meeting highlighted a clear distance between Al-Thini on one side and Haftar on the other side concerning the positions and steps to be taken via-à-vis the UN sponsored Libyan Dialogue, the UN Special Representative Martin Kobler and the relations with Russia and other relevant partners.

The same sources reported that during the meeting Al-Thini accused Haftar of a "close and long relationship with French Intelligence Services", who gave their backing to several attempts to undermine al-Thini role, and with the “new entry” Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, ready to support Haftar "with a large amount of money".

"Haftar had diverted money from the Libyan Army to buy property in Egypt and Jordan"

According local sources speaking under condition of anonymity said that Al-Thini screamed that "Haftar had deliberately stretched out the fighting in Benghazi, had targeted as, had set up a secret department to kill his opponents, had set fire to their homes and stolen their belonginhgs, had diverted money from the Libyan Army to buy property in Egypt and Jordan".

"Al-Thinni has the proofs that can push UN and EU to impose sanctions for Haftar"

The same source close to Al-Thini's entourage said that  the Prime Minister is quite sure that if will reveal the proofs of crimes that Haftar has provoked in Benghazi, UN and EU will consider sanctions for the Libyan General.

Ali Al-Qatrani appeared in the meeting to show "a more conciliatory stance" suggesting a "more diplomatic approach to key European countries".

"Sources  close to Al-Thini's entourage reported that Russian Intelligence will support Haftar with a large amount of money"

According to the same sources in Al-Baidha the the General Command is also "becoming the more and more divided, with few but relevant high ranking officers pushing for an harder position against the UN process and the countries that are clearly aligned with it".

German Intelligence Has Findings Russian Attempts To Influence Bundestag Election Through Cyber Attacks

German Intelligence has accurate findings revealing that cyber attacks to influence Bundestag election are being carried out from Russia.

Frankfurter Allgemeine, widespread German daily, reported that Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), the Federal Republic of Germany's domestic security agency, whose duties include counter-espionage, has stated that Russian “propaganda and influence-wielding operations” had been carried out by Russian State Agencies.

Russian state agencies are believed to wage cyber attacks under the guise of alleged hacker activists. Since the start of the Ukraine war, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has noted a “substantial increase” in Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns in Germany, and reports that there is a “massive deployment of Russian financial resources.”

According German Intelligence "these attacks took place under a bogus flag" and should be considered an "Advanced Persistent Threat" (APT), a sophisticated and ongoing threat to a complex IT infrastructure

"Russian State Agencies carried out propaganda and influence operations"

Hans-Georg Maassen, President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), stated that “cyber operations posing a possible threat to members of the German government, members of the Bundestag, and the staff of democratic parties are ongoing. The pointers to attempts to influence next year’s Bundestag election are solidifying”.

Hans-Georg Maassen expressed the fear that information stolen in that kind of attacks on computer systems would be used in the election campaign, for the purpose of discrediting politicians.

Serbian Intelligence Have Blocked and Expelled Russians for Espionage in Montenegro

Belgrade website Dnevni List Danas revealed that "Serbian Intelligence Agencies have blocked and expelled several Russian nationals for involvement and espionage in preparation of terror operations in Montenegro".

Serbian Intelligence Agency (BIA) and prosecution organs had "isolated" a group of about a dozen people suspected of associating on Serbian territory for the purpose of carrying out operations against the authorities in Montenegro.

"Serbian Intelligence blocked Russian nationals equipped with devices to spy Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic"

According to some local media outlets “the group were equipped with devices to track the movements of Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and with apparatus that blocked the Montenegrin Intelligence Services to locate them”.

This group was not arrested yet but “they were deposed and their surveillance equipment, telephone communication jamming devices, uniforms, and about 125,000 euros, among other things, were seized”.

Until now no concrete link was found between this group and the group of Serbian nationals arrested in Montenegro at the time of the 16 October election.

Serbian government has already completed procedures in connection with the Russian nationals that have been expelled from Serbia.

New Anti-Hacking System Will Protect Russian Defense Ministry

Russian news agency Interfax has reported that  "a new anti-hacking system will protect Russian Defense Ministry facilities from cyber attacks citing an unnamed representative of Russia's United Instrument-Building Corporation (OPK)".

An OPK source told to Interfax that "elements of this system have already been deployed at over 500 facilities, including the National Defense Control Centre", referring to the top command and control center of the Russian Defense Ministry.

Source added that the threat detection system had been tested over two years, during which time it had been "significantly improved".

According to the source, the complex is capable of detecting cyber attacks in real-time mode and preventing emerging threats. With the help of special sensors the system analyses network traffic, assesses the level of the attack and pinpoints the spot from which it came.

Russian Security Service FSB Plans to Decrypt Internet Traffic

Natalya Kasperskaya

Russian newsaper Kommersant reported that "Federal Security Service (FSB) plans to decrypt internet traffic".

Natalya Kasperskaya, President of the 'InfoWatch' Group of companies, said that Russian authorities had plans to decrypt internet traffic coming from Russian users.

According to Kommersant "one of the discussed tools for decrypting internet traffic is the use of special equipment that can decipher traffic received from the server and encrypt it again with an SSL certificate issued by a Russian certification authority before sending it to a user".

Kasperskaya said that the possibility of granting powers to the Russian authorities to issue an SSL certificate was discussed between Roskomnadzor (Russian federal executive body responsible for overseeing the media) and the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Alexei Kachalin, Director of Expert Security Center at Positive Technologies, warned that "main internet service providers could loose market share to their foreign competitors if they were under control of a regime".

Russian Intelligence Agencies under deep re-organization

A wide and deep re-organization of the Intelligence Agencies in occurring in Russia.

Russian newspaper Kommersant wrote that a super-department, which the newspaper calls the State Security Ministry (MGB), may be created based on the Federal Security Service (FSB).

According to Russian website Menduza, The Federal Protective Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Emergencies Ministry may also be included in the "new era KGB".

On April 2016, the National Guard was created under Viktor Zolotov (who managed Vladimir Putin's bodyguards for many years) , gaining many of the powers of the Interior Ministry.

"Russian Intelligence is under deep re-organization"

The Federal Migration Service and the anti-drug department were combined with the Interior Ministry itself.

During the summer and last week, high-ranking officials in the Interior Ministry and the Investigation Committee were arrested.

This will obviously affect the position of the heads of the departments as well: according to some reports, Investigation Committee head Aleksandr Bastrykin will leave his post in the near future.

Sergei Naryshkin is New Russian Foreign Intelligence SVR Chief

Sergey Naryshky is the new chief of Russian SVR

Vladimir Putin has named Sergei Naryshkin, the outgoing Russian State Duma speaker, as new Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief (SVR).

According Russian website Vesti Putin made the offer at a meeting with Naryshkin and Mikhail Fradkov, the outgoing head of the SVR.

Putin said to Natyshkin that he want "offer you the job of head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia (SVR)."

Sergey Natyshkin replied to Putin "considerimg your offer to be an instruction by the head of state, the supreme commander".

BBC, Russian News Agency Interfax and Russian website Slon reported Sergey Naryshkin is:

- born on 27 October 1954 in Putin's home city of St Petersburg

- worked at the St Petersburg mayor's office in the 1990s at roughly the time Putin was there

- joined President Putin's office in 2004 as deputy head of the economic development directorate

- headed the president's office in 2008-11, when Dmitry Medvedev was president

- elected as Russian State Duma speaker shortly after the assembly convened following elections in 2011

- under him, the Duma has consistently toed the Kremlin's line.

Russia's Banks Try to Enter Iran's Financial Market

Russian newspaper Izvestiya reports that “ten major Russian credit organizations are already planning to deal with the new Iranian market” and that “Russia's Banks have the opportunity to be first international actor to enter Iran's Financial Market”.
Izvestiya writes that “a meeting was held in Iran in the framework of Russian-Iranian collaboration at which Russia was represented by Dmitriy Skobelkin, Deputy of the Central Bank, and Iran by Gholamali Kamyab, Deputy of the Islamic Republic Central Bank”.

"Russia's Bank Will Try to Be the First to Enter Iran's Financial Market"

According to Izvestiya Russia and Iran “reached agreement on cooperation with the Iranian regulator in a number of areas, primarily making provision for interbank accounting in rubles and Iranian rials and developing correspondent relationships between Russian and Iranian credit organizations”.

A source close to the Russian Central Bank told to Izvestiya that during the meeting emerged as “anian market could offer good prospects for Russian banks not only in supporting contracts between Russian and Iranian companies but also because the population of the country, partially freed from sanctions, is young and with more financially power”.

"Iranian population is young and with financial power"

Russian banks have no offshoots in Iran. The only bank with Iranian roots operating in Russia is the Mir Business Bank. Western banks have no hurry to open branches in Iran, preferring to wait for the situation to become clearer. But the Russian Federation banking sector has no history or experience of transnational banks.

Tamara Kasyanova, who runs the 2K Company, says that "the absence of Western banks, which can access to cheaper credit resources in European markets, makes Iran highly interesting territory for Russian banks”.

Yuriy Amvrosiyev, Director of the international business and financial institutions department at Binbank, says that "VTB Bank, whose network abroad is partly based on old Soviet Foreign Bank Sovzagranbank outposts, does have that kind of experience".

Norwegian Security Service Says Russian Espionage is the main threat

Norwegian Security Service (PST) released a statement saying that Russian espionage is the main threat for damaging Norway and Norwegian interests.

Norwegian daily newspaper Aftenposten reports that "according to Norwegian Security Service (PST), foreign intelligence services will continue their extensive work in and around Norway this year.

Foreign Intelligence objective is to gain access to sensitive information; influence political, economic, and administrative decisions; and investigate possibilities for sabotaging critical infrastructure in a potential future conflict".

"Russian Intelligence Services use every available means to spy" (Benedicte Bjornland, Chief of Norwegian Security Service)

Russia is mentioned as the country that could provide the greatest damage to Norwegian interests cause of its intentions and capacity to conduct espionage against Norway.

Benedicte Bjornland, Chief of Norwegian Security Service (PST), described Russian spying as “comprehensive and aggressive”.“Russian Intelligence services use every available means,” he said.

Russian Intelligence Will Disclose 552 Spies Paid by Western

In the next few days Russian Intelligence will send a list of 552 spies paid by Western Countries to the Serbian Intelligence.

According Serbian magazine Srpski Telegraf "the Federal Security Service (FSB) will pass a list of 552 collaborators and mercenaries showing that some Western Countries finances many representatives of nongovernmental organizations, journalists, state administration employees, and even some politicians".

Srpski Telegraf's sources in Serbian Intelligence community said that the list "includes at least 3 tycoons, 131 members of various non-governmental organizations, 54 journalists and media workers. As for politicians, as many as 364 persons that work for the West hold the highest positions in some parties, are senior party officials, and employees in state institutions".

Russian Intelligence's file contains informations about "people that make decisions and have the influence to carry out the Western Countries interests. Some of them receive money for their services".

Serbian magazine reported that according Russian Intelligence "there are on plans for radicalizing the Yellow Duck protest in the fall over demolitions in Belgrade's Savamala neighborhood at the site earmarked for building the Belgrade Waterfront project".

Russian Intelligence Warned on Terrorists Plan to Attack

Russian Intelligence have been warned that terrorists are planning to stage attacks in Russia with the use of transport vehicles.

According a source contacted from Russian website Life.ru "at the beginning of this week, Federal Security Service (FSB) and other Russian Intelligence Directorates received information about terrorists' plans to stage attacks with the use of cars and lorries in central streets of Russian cities".

Source said that "the attacks are supposed to follow a Nice scenario".

Life.ru has obtained documents that confirm information about "lone wolf preparing attacks", adding that steps are being taken to avert possible attacks.

Russian website reported that Russian Intelligence and Police "will step up security in Russia and the number of police patrols will be increased in crowded public areas".

DGSI is under restructuring to face terrorism

DGSI, the General Directorate for Internal Security, is under restructuring, making a deep change to face terrorism.

According a statement of Patrick Calvar, General Director the DGSI, to the National Assembly last May 24, "the staffed will cross the 4,000 officers by 2018".

As reported in an article published from French Daily newspaper Le Figaro, Patrick Calvar said that the consequences of digital era on methods of investigation cannot be ignored and "we will continue to recruit engineers and technicians".

"DGSI is not sacrificing human intelligence"

According to him every day DGSI and the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), "work on the problem of encryption, of the multiplication of means of communication, of the mass of data we can gather".

Patrick Calvar said that “the main communication network used by terrorists, Telegram, is Russian”.

Otherwise, he said that "DGSI is not sacrificing human intelligence" in favor of technology, but would improve the "capacity to analyze and to use that intelligence"

General Director of the DGSI stressed the question to recruit Arabic speakers cause of "difficulties of clearance", saying that "as Intelligence Agency we are careful not to be penetrated".