russia uses former ‘Wagner’ networks for sabotage in Europe
Western intelligence agencies are detecting the use by russian special services of former structures of the ‘Wagner’ PMC and networks associated with the ‘troll factory’ to organize sabotage in EU countries.
As reported by the Financial Times citing sources in European intelligence agencies, after the 2023 coup and the elimination of yevgeny prigozhin, the recruitment and propaganda structures he created did not disappear. Their resources are being used by the GRU and FSB to recruit people in Europe.
These are so-called disposable agents. These are people without professional training who are involved in arson, acts of vandalism, surveillance or other forms of sabotage for a small reward. One of the illustrative examples is the arson of a warehouse in London at the end of 2023. According to the investigation, a 21-year-old Brit was recruited through Telegram channels associated with ‘Wagner’.
russia combines tools of information influence, recruitment through social networks, and direct sabotage. The active involvement of local executors indicates a transformation of russia’s hybrid war against Europe, which creates additional challenges for European intelligence agencies.
