Russia

Russian Information Warfare in Chechnya

The roots of the Russian Information Warfare doctrine largely stems from Russia’s experience in Chechnya in the late 1990s. Understanding the Russian experience in the Chechen wars can help us learn more about their motivations for their actions in the present Ukraine conflict and other Russian influence operations.

Nothing is True and Everything is Possible

If you use this link to purchase this book, Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to Key Terrain Cyber. Peter Pomerantsev, a British journalist and television producer, draws on his firsthand experiences working in the heart of the Russian media machine to bring us his thought provoking work, “Nothing is True and Everything…

Information Operations Troops

The Information Operations Troops constitutes a military formation within the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, operating under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. This entity, somewhat analogous to USCYBERCOM, is still in its early stages of development and seems more geared towards counterpropaganda efforts rather than offensive cyber operations. The Russian Minister of…

Other Russian Malicious Cyber Actors

Internet Research Agency The Internet Research Agency (IRA), dubbed a Russian “troll farm” by the western media played a critical role in Russian influence operations online since at least 2016. This malicious cyber actor employed an army of hackers to conduct disinformation campaigns, and disseminate Russian propaganda on major social media platforms in the United…

Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR)

The Russian SVR, or Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki (Foreign Intelligence Service), is one of the primary intelligence agencies in Russia. Established in 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the SVR took over the foreign intelligence responsibilities from its predecessor, the First Chief Directorate (PGU) of the KGB. The SVR can trace its roots back…

Federal Security Service (FSB)

The FSB, or Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Федеральная Служба Безопасности Российской Федерации in Russian), is the principal security agency and intelligence service of the Russian government. It was established in 1995, succeeding the Federal Counterintelligence Service (FSK) and inheriting many functions of the former KGB (Committee for State Security) following the dissolution…

Main Intelligence Agency of the Armed Forces (GRU)

The GRU, or Main Intelligence Agency, is the foreign military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The acronym GRU stands for “Glavnoye Razvedyvatel’noye Upravleniye,” which translates to “Main Intelligence Agency.” The GRU works alongside the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and the Federal Security Service (FSB) to achieve…

Russian Federation Cyber Order of Battle

Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Federal Security Service (FSB) Main Intelligence Agency (GRU) Other Malicious Cyber Actors Key Terrain Cyber is dedicated to the professional development of our cyber workforce and information warfare community. We offer all our programs at no cost to readers, including our professional journal, mentorship and fellowship programs, and information warfare memorial.…

A Short History of Russia: How the World’s Largest Country Invented Itself, from the Pagans to Putin

If you use this link to purchase this book, Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to Key Terrain Cyber. Mark Galeotti’s “A Short History of Russia” provides readers on a journey through the historical tapestry of the world’s largest country, catering to the intellectual appetite of political science aficionados. Hosking, a distinguished scholar,…

Messing with the Enemy

If you use this link to purchase this book, Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to Key Terrain Cyber. In “Messing with the Enemy,” Clint Watts delivers a compelling exploration of the murky world of online espionage, disinformation campaigns, and the ethical dilemmas that arise when battling modern-day threats. Watts, a former FBI…