The Hesitant Spy Artem Zinchenko was a GRU officer arrested by the Estonian Security Service (KAPO) in January 2017. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He had been living under cover as a businessman running a company named Dana Investments (after his wife). The company designed and sold …
Secret sandwiches
In the UK, tabloid newspaper the Daily Mirror ran an article (from Manchester Evening News) about GCHQ’s outstation at Manchester which is based at Heron House on Albert Square (where it moved in 2019). The author seemed fascinated with the fact that the office is situated above Gregg’s, a well-known …
British Intelligence to be less British?
In the UK, the “Parental Nationality Requirement” has been removed from applicants to SIS, MI5 and GCHQ. Previously, applicants needed at least one parent to be either a British citizen or an immigrant from a list of approved countries. Applicants now need only to be British citizens. The requirement has …
New Wolff in the lair
The BND (the German Security Service) appointed a new Deputy Chief on 1st November. He is Philipp Wolff, aged 50. Wolff’s background is in law and he was a public prosecutor in Munich at the start of his career. He moved up through the managerial ranks and then switched to …
New Chief at SIS
29 July: SIS, the UK’s foreign intelligence service, has a new Chief. He is Richard Moore, a senior Foreign Office official and former British ambassador to Turkey. He will take up his post in October. Moore beat Tom Hurd, the other front runner, in the final round of selection. Moore’s …