Russia intensifies intelligence in Mexico to influence support for Ukraine – ISW

Russia is expanding its intelligence operations in Mexico to spy on the United States, increase propaganda and undermine support for Ukraine. 

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW); NBC News

Details: NBC News, citing unnamed US officials and former intelligence officers, reported that Russian intelligence services have been increasing their presence in Mexico over the past few years to spy on the United States and to increase propaganda aimed at undermining the United States and Ukraine. 

US officials have expressed concern that Russia has increased the number of staff at its embassy in Mexico City by dozens despite the lack of strong trade relations with Mexico and have interpreted the increase as a return to Cold War tactics aimed at bolstering intelligence operations in Mexico. 

The ISW noted that William Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, recently indicated that the increase was the result of the expulsion of Russian spies from Europe. 

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 22 September:  

• Ukraine's 18 September strike against a Russian missile and ammunition storage facility near Toropets, Tver Oblast reportedly destroyed enough Russian munitions to affect Russian operations in the coming months.
• The Kremlin is reportedly reconsidering the effectiveness of nuclear sabre-rattling as part of its efforts to influence the ongoing Western policy debate about supporting Ukraine and specifically permitting Ukraine to use Western-provided weapons against military facilities in Russia.
• Satellite imagery of damage at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk Oblast captured on 21 September suggests that the Russian military recently conducted an unsuccessful RS-28 Sarmat nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test.
• Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov stated on 21 September that Ukraine will increase its production of drones by "several times" in 2025 in order to maintain Ukraine's quantitative superiority over Russian drone production.
• Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced on 22 September that Russia will not participate in Ukraine's second peace summit later in 2024 or in any "such summits".
• Russia is reportedly expanding intelligence operations in Mexico to undermine the United States and support for Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Svatove.
• Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Toretsk and Pokrovsk, southwest of the city of Donetsk, and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area.
• A Ukrainian officer in a drone crew stated on 22 September that the Russian military command is forcing soldiers to dig trenches at Russian positions in unspecified areas of Ukraine without weapons and sometimes without armour, helmets, or military uniforms.

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