Russian military intelligence agents have been instructed to track and identify critics of the Russian regime living in Europe, according to information obtained by The Moscow Times and the Dossier Center. These operations, ordered by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Defence Ministry (GRU), have reportedly intensified in early 2025 and focus on preparing for intimidation, discrediting campaigns and possibly even physical threats.
The targets are individuals whose anti-Kremlin and anti-war voices influence public discourse. These include politicians, journalists, bloggers, creative professionals and human rights activists. The GRU has ordered its operatives to gather extensive information on these individuals, including private data such as phone numbers, home addresses, family and business contacts, financial records, sponsors and partners.
The information will reportedly be compiled into detailed personal dossiers. Experts fear these dossiers could be used for special operations involving threats, blackmail, defamation, or more serious attacks. The Dossier Center, an independent investigative organisation founded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, warns that potential attackers could include hired criminals from the dark web or radical right-wing groups already operating within EU borders.
