Czech counter intelligence notes increase in number of Russian agents in the country
Russian security services are waging an information war in the Czech Republic, according to Czech counter-intelligence. A large number of Russian intelligence officers worked undercover in the largest foreign mission in the Russian Embassy in Prague, the annual report of the BIS (Intelligence Service of the Czech Republic) stated.
The report contains a warning that Russian agents are creating a network of proxy groups, populist support groups and extremist groups that can be used for destabilization or manipulation of Czech society or political environment at any time.
Russian agents are engaged in dissemination of false information about conflicts in Ukraine and Syria and are also trying to undermine the unity of the European Union and NATO through an extensive online campaign of disinformation, the report says. There have been attempts to break Czech-Polish relations, spread disinformation and create worrisome rumors discrediting the USA and NATO, leading to the threat of virtual war with Russia, BIS reported.
Russian agents also tried to damage Ukraine’s reputation and worked on isolating the country at the international level. It was also mentioned in the report that Chinese security services have intensified their activities in the Czech Republic, deepening China’s entry into the political and business community.