In brief
Inside Russia's F.S.B., intelligence officers are alarmed by China's espionage efforts, labeling them a serious security concern despite public claims of partnership.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin publicly touts an unbreakable bond with China, celebrating a strategic military and economic alliance. However, behind closed doors at the F.S.B., Russia's domestic security agency, unease simmers. An internal document reveals that a clandestine unit views China as “the enemy,” warning that Chinese interference poses significant risks to Russian security.This secretive group is especially concerned about China's attempts to recruit Russian spies and secure sensitive military technology, sometimes targeting disenchanted Russian scientists. They suspect that China is actively spying on Russia’s military involvement in Ukraine to understand Western weaponry and tactics. Alarmingly, they also claim that Chinese academics may be positioning themselves to lay claims on Russian land.The F.S.B. document—restricted and possibly written in late 2023 or early 2024—outlines priorities for countering Chinese espionage, detailing actions against infiltration in Arctic territories under the guise of mining firms and academic research. As the two nations profess solidarity, tensions grow in the shadows.
