My take on the #BfV „Illegals“ analysis of August 1993 in this new blog post: ojihad.wordpress.com/2025/11/10/d... #history #espionage #intelligence #Russia #SovietUnion #Verfassungsschutz #Spionage #Geheimdienste #Russland

BfV‘s conclusion: There will very likely be „Illegals“ operated by Russian intelligence services in the future. They will be tasked with handling high-ranking human sources. They will not only use German identities but also pretend to be Brits, Finns or others.

Another proof of the ongoing „Illegals“ spy program acc to BfV: The new Russian intelligence service SVR and GRU still have organizational units responsible for recruitment, training and operations of „Illegals“.

According to the BfV document the KGB had enlarged the Directorate S in the 1980s, some defectors reported personnel allegedly had tripled in numbers. The new service SVR likely took over around 100 already trained „Illegals“ (reserve) from KGB, BfV writes.

4. New #Russia lacks money, spy agencies do not have financial power to support „Illegals“-program? BfV: No evidence Directorate S of the newly formed SVR is broke. On the contrary - Line N (Illegals support) officers still stationed in previous numbers at the „Rezidenturas“ around the world.

3. Political change, new relationship between East & West, means less spying? BfV doesn‘t agree, quoting new Russian intelligence services as saying they are still of great importance. BfV also says: There were „Illegals“ sent to the West even in the warmer times of the Cold War.

2. Open borders and free travel after the end of the #ColdWar means no more need for the use of „Illegals“? BfV argues: New political situation makes it even easier for these spies to travel and operate - even travelling to #Russia to deliver intelligence they obtained.

1. Most „Illegals“ operating in West Germany were mainly sent by East Germany‘s (GDR) Foreign spy service HVA. The GDR was gone - so no more „Illegal“ spies? BfV concluded there is enough evidence that a pretty high number of „Illegals“ were not sent by HVA, but by the KGB.

German counter-espionage states that the end of the #ColdWar and the fall of the Soviet Union will most likely not mean less spy activity by Moscow. The report mentions several points often referred to by those who believe the spy game will be a thing of the past…