Russian intelligence increases efforts to obtain Western technology, officials say

The Story

Three senior European intelligence officials told the Associated Press that Russian intelligence agencies have grown more aggressive in stealing Western technology and defense secrets as sanctions strain the country’s wartime economy. Moscow is using fake companies, middlemen, and cyber operations to acquire advanced machinery, dual-use technology, and research, according to the officials.

Key Facts

• Russia’s intelligence agencies have increased efforts to steal Western technology and defense secrets under sanctions pressure, three senior European intelligence officials told the Associated Press.
• Tactics include building fake companies, recruiting middlemen, deploying cyber spies and hackers, and targeting defense industries in Sweden, Finland, and elsewhere.
• Christoffer Wedelin of the Swedish Security Service said Russia is targeting the Gripen fighter jet technology, camera and laser tech for civilian use that could be integrated into weapons, and advanced machine tools.
• Juha Martelius of Finland’s Security Service said Russia needs space, quantum, arctic, and marine technology, plus sanctioned computer tech and software updates.
• Anne Keast-Butler of UK signals intelligence accused Russia of “relentlessly targeting” the UK and allies with technology theft, sabotage, and assassination plots.
• In May 2026, Swedish police arrested two people for sanctions violations related to a Turkish company sending machine tools to Russia.
• Wedelin noted a cyberattack on a Swedish power plant last year where Russia-linked actors tried to “destroy” the plant but failed; he said the attack aimed partly to undermine Western support for Ukraine.
• Kaupo Rosin of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said intelligence shows a gloomier outlook among Russian officials over the past six months, with “total victory” in Ukraine narrative gone.
• Rosin cited a Russian budget deficit target of 3.7 trillion rubles for 2026, already reaching about 3.4 trillion rubles by end of February.
• Martelius believes President Putin has a fairly clear picture of economic challenges but does not expect political change.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

• Specific details on how Russia is acquiring space, quantum, or arctic technology were not elaborated.
• The exact number of casualties in the Ukraine war is unclear; Keast-Butler said almost 500,000 Russian soldiers killed since 2022, but both Russia and Ukraine have withheld exact figures.
• Whether increased oil revenue from the Iran war will prevent a financial crisis in Russia is uncertain; Rosin said it may improve the budget but does not save them.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Christoffer Wedelin, deputy head of operations at the Swedish Security Service
• Juha Martelius, director of Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service
• Anne Keast-Butler, director of the UK’s signals intelligence agency
• Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service

Sources: abcnews.com