The CIA is so openly searching the Russian population for new spies, Pakistan wants to bring thousands of demonstrators before military courts

The CIA has been surprisingly open about recruiting Russian spies lately. US intelligence recently released a two-minute video targeting Russian men and women who do not identify with their government’s actions in Ukraine. The video sends a clear message to these people: please contact us and pass on valuable information to us.

According to CNN, the video was first shared on Telegram, the preferred online network of Russians seeking information outside of state-influenced media. The video was then circulated on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The content of the work, written in Russian and extensively produced, is about several people, supposedly Russians, who seem to be thinking about important decisions in their daily lives. Images of family situations run like a red thread through the almost two-minute film material.

Without hesitation, the target audience is revealed: a woman works on a computer that could be in a secret service headquarters, a man steps into a Russian government building, shows his ID and gains entry.

At the end of the video, the woman can be seen sitting in the car and struggling with herself, mobile phone in hand. “Contact CIA” is written on the small screen. She taps it and sits back in relief – followed by instructions on how Russians can safely contact the CIA via the dark web browser TOR.

An anonymous CIA official told CNN about the PR video. He explains that Russia has created an “unprecedented opportunity” for the United States by launching a war of aggression in Ukraine. The CIA wants Russians to “come to us and provide information that the United States needs.”

There are always people in Russia who can identify with the Western way of life and thinking and reject that of the Russian elite. You want to address these people and let them know that you understand them, “perhaps better than you can imagine”.

We believe the war in Ukraine has created a “unique opportunity” to recruit Russians, as many people are disgusted by what Putin is doing in Ukraine, including senior officials and intelligence officials. The CIA insider told CNN that “thousands to tens of thousands” of responses were expected.

The CIA official denies that the video could also be pure propaganda. The mini-film was “not at all” intended to stir up unrest among the general Russian population. They are aware that Putin still enjoys strong support – instead they want to show critical individuals that risk-free contacting the CIA is not rocket science. (con)