WSJ: CIA plans to recruit Russians dissatisfied with war in Ukraine

The deputy director of operations for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) David Marlowe stated that the CIA wants to recruit spies among Russians who are dissatisfied with the war in Ukraine.

Marlow said this during a speech at George Mason Universityʼs Hayden Center, the Wall Street Journal writes.

He also added that the invasion of Ukraine was a huge failure for Russian President Putin, opening up opportunities for Western intelligence services among disaffected Russians.

"Putin was at his best the day before the invasion," Marlowe noted. In his opinion, then Putin still had the opportunity to force Ukraine, influence NATO and demonstrate that Russia is a powerful state. "He wasted it all," concluded the CIAʼs deputy director of operations.

"We are looking all over the world for Russians who are as disgusted by this as we are. Because we are open to cooperation," added Marlowe.

His words echo recent claims by former senior CIA officers that the discontent among many Russians about the war in Ukraine is creating fertile ground for recruiting agents among the military, oligarchs and businessmen whose fortunes have been reduced by sanctions.

CIA Deputy Director for Analysis Linda Weisgold, whose unit is responsible for intelligence reports and briefings for President Biden and other senior officials, believes the war in Ukraine is nowhere near over. According to her, despite repeated failures, Putin did not abandon his initial goals in Ukraine.

The key factor, she believes, is that each side understands what they are fighting for.

"The Ukrainian military knows this. Russian soldiers not so much," Weisgold said.

• In June, the head of Britainʼs Foreign Intelligence Service said Russia had lost half of its spying capabilities in Europe after more than 400 Russian intelligence officers were expelled and several undercover agents posing as civilians were arrested.
• In November, the head of the UKʼs domestic intelligence Ken McCallum said that in 2022 almost 600 Russian officials were expelled from the countries of the European Union. He also said that London has rejected more than 100 applications from Russians for diplomatic visas this year on national security grounds.