Opinion-in-brief: Putin scrambles to salvage war campaign replacing spies
Vladimir Putin has replaced Russia’s main spy agency – the Federal Security Service (FSB) – with military intelligence chiefs who will now oversee intelligence operations in Ukraine. The individuals appointed are part of the GRU, the service allegedly behind the Salisbury poisonings in 2018, and heavily involved in operations in the Donbas and in Syria.
This shift shows how Putin’s trust in his operatives keeps on dwindling. Since the war started, Russia’s strongman has been reportedly isolating himself, rejecting all strategic advice but that of a few people close to him.
Putin has removed the FSB blaming it for intelligence failures throughout the war. But he had been a director of the FSB before becoming president, and has always had close ties with the service. His choice to put a different, ruthless organisation in charge is just another attempt to gain back control of its thwarted war campaign.