From minors to drug addicts: how the FSB recruits Ukrainians

Hostile intelligence services use financial enticements and blackmail to recruit Ukrainians, targeting vulnerable groups. At the same time, the Russian FSB is recruiting a variety of individuals, from teenagers to citizens with addictions, for “cooperation.”

This was reported on the air of “Pryamoy” by Ivan Stupak, military analyst, SBU employee (2004-2015).

Recruited agents, whom he described as “massmarket,” usually provide basic information that can even be found using mapping services.

“There are quite a few of them, but they are of poor quality, unprepared, and burn out quickly, like candles in churches. And in principle, the Russians don’t feel sorry for them. No one exchanges them. They spend them in prison. Those who are lucky – 10 years. Those who are unlucky – for life,” Stupak noted, commenting on the fate of such performers.

The analyst also emphasized that the main lever of influence is money, and the recruitment methods are compared to common fraudulent schemes.

According to a former SBU employee, the enemy pays special attention to minors, offering them quick earnings of $100-200 for simple tasks, claiming that they have no criminal record.

However, as a rule, these promises are not kept, and teenagers become objects of blackmail. Another target group is drug addicts, who are offered to perform dangerous tasks, including arson and shooting, in exchange for a dose, Stupak added.

This strategy, according to the military analyst, resembles the email campaign about “Nigerian princes,” which, despite its obviousness, still finds its victims.

As a reminder, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police detained three men who carried out a double terrorist attack in the Darnytsia district of Kyiv on December 11. The detentions took place “hot on the trail” within 6 hours of the explosions .

The investigation established that they worked as construction workers in the capital and at the same time looked for part-time jobs in Telegram channels. It was through such channels that they were recruited by representatives of the enemy’s special services.

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