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The Sun
16-05-2025
- The Sun
Is THIS what a Russian spy looks like? Intel agency releases handy guide on how to spot a Putin operative in your midst
WHEN you think of a spy, you might imagine trench coats and secret dossiers, or perhaps the more glamorous image of vodka martinis and Aston Martins. But one Baltic nation has taken a more practical approach, issuing a handy guide on how its citizens can spot Russian operatives lurking in their midst. 6 6 6 One of Latvia's intelligence services has put out a list of telltale signs to help its population sniff out spies. An unkempt appearance and "insufficient hygiene" are listed as some of the top characteristics to look out for - a far cry from the crisp dinner jackets sported by James Bond. But don't expect all Russian spies in the Baltic state to look like they have been sleeping in a bush. A military-style haircut is also a possible indicator that you might be face-to-face with a secret agent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, asking nosy and intrusive questions of locals is also listed as something to look out for. And tourists who have little knowledge of the area but are surprisingly well-prepared for the great outdoors - such as with medical kits or radios - are also a big red flag. The Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD) has issued the list of characteristics this week to urge its citizens to be alert to threats and regional tensions. The agency said: "The Ukrainian experience shows that Russian special services are able to adapt to the environment and circumstances in which reconnaissance-saboteur groups are used. "Their members may not visually correspond to the classic reconnaissance-saboteur profile." Such Russian spies might also hang around near sensitive sights - or sleep in remote areas despite showing little interest in nature. Satellite pics show Putin on the march as Russia masses troops 35 miles from Nato border with 2k soldiers & helicopters But the agency warned citizens not to get their hands dirty with vigilante spy work - and to leave any action to the professionals. They made clear that if any suspicions are flagged, the police and military should take it from there. The agency said: "If you do think you might have spotted a sabotage group on Latvian soil, MIDD does not recommend tackling them yourself. "Instead report your suspicions to the State Police, special services, or the nearest armed forces unit.' 6 6 This comes as tensions between NATO countries and Russia continue to soar over Putin's barbaric and brutal invasion of Ukraine. Sweden and Finland - both of which joined NATO since 2022 - have been busily issuing booklets on how to survive a war or other disaster. Norway has also published a book with advice for such a scenario. The book reads: "We live in an increasingly turbulent world. "Even though in Norway most things generally function as they normally would, we must remain aware that extreme weather, pandemics, accidents, sabotage — and in the worst case acts of war — can impact us." Several instances of sabotage and arson across the west have been attributed to Russia by senior figures - although the Kremlin denies involvement. But even if a ceasefire is agreed, a top security think tank warns Russia could rebuild its military to a worrying capacity as early as 2027. And the International Institute for Strategic Studies has cautioned Putin could deploy his army onto a "war footing" and try to test NATO's Article 5 mutual defence agreement. 6
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Latvia shares spy-spotting guide to help public expose Russian saboteurs
One of Latvia's intelligence services has warned its citizens that there may be Russian saboteurs and spies in their midst, and given them a handy guide on how to spot them. In its annual report, the Baltic state's Defence Intelligence and Security Service, known as MIDD, offered advice to its nearly two million-strong population on how to scope out possible operatives sent by Russia who are flying beneath the radar. A shabby, unkempt appearance and 'insufficient hygiene' might be one telltale sign an agent has gone underground. Other red flags include overly nosy small talk with locals, a short, military-style haircut, or tourists who do not know the terrain but have an unusual amount of outdoor survival equipment such as specialised medical kits, maps or radios. MIDD, one of three Latvian security agencies, said such giveaways could help citizens ferret out agents casing 'critical infrastructure and military facilities' for sabotage, plotting targeted killings or fomenting unrest. It said Russian operatives had upped their game in recent years, with training in chameleon-like disguises that made them harder to detect. 'The Ukrainian experience shows that Russian special services are able to adapt to the environment and circumstances in which reconnaissance-saboteur groups are used,' MIDD said. 'Their members may not visually correspond to the classic reconnaissance-saboteur profile.' The agents may be part of groups lingering near sensitive sites, posing as humanitarian workers or sleeping in remote areas without showing any interest in nature, the agency added. However, the security service cautioned ordinary citizens against vigilante actions on suspected Russian agents, stressing that police and the military were best equipped to take over when suspicion arose. Latvia's public broadcaster reported that state security had issued similar but less detailed spy-spotting tips for the public to report suspicious activity two years ago, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As tensions with the west have soared, EU and Nato member states have been on high alert for Russian sabotage amid a wave of cyber-attacks, arson and undersea cable damage blamed on Moscow. The Kremlin has denied the allegations. On Wednesday, German federal prosecutors said three Ukrainian nationals had been arrested on suspicion of plotting parcel bomb attacks in Germany on behalf the Russian state. Last July, European security agencies were alarmed by three separate explosions in packages sent from Lithuania which detonated in Birmingham, in the UK; Leipzig, in Germany; and near Warsaw, in Poland. Intelligence services suspect a Russian-engineered campaign. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The latest German case has prompted calls from officials to step up the country's defences against hybrid threats. Thomas Strobl, the German interior minister of Baden-Wuerttemberg state where one of the trio was arrested, compared the impact of the plot coming to light to a 'tectonic quake'. 'We must adjust to new risk situations,' he said. 'We are not at war, but also no longer truly at peace.' The Associated Press contributed to this report.
