‘We are looking for reliable people:' CIA recruits Russian spies on Telegram
Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine created a historic opening 'to have Russians deliver information the U.S. needs,' says CIA official
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) launched on Tuesday a Telegram channel to recruit Russians who have “information about the economy or the top leadership” of the country.
A gloomy Russian-language video showed a man and a woman apparently dissatisfied with their bureaucratic jobs and frustrated with the situation in the country. “Is this the life I dreamed of?” the narrator wonders.
The clip ends with both characters contacting the CIA. The Telegram channel urges Russians to “safely get in touch” through a link on the encrypted Tor browser.
“The CIA wants to know the truth about Russia, and we are looking for reliable people who know and can tell us that truth,” the message that comes after the video says.
“Are you a military officer? Do you work in the field of intelligence, diplomacy, science, high technology, or do you deal with people who do this? Do you have information about the economy or the top leadership of the Russian Federation? Contact us,” the message added.
The video is also being posted to other CIA social media platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. However, an unnamed CIA official told AFP that the social media campaign was focused on Telegram because it is the main messenger used by Russians to share information on the war in Ukraine.
CIA officials involved in the project were also quoted by CNN News as saying that Moscow’s invasion of the neighboring country has created a historic opening “to have Russians come to us and deliver information the United States needs.” According to one official, the agency hopes that Russians who work in sensitive fields and have access to valuable information will hear that “we understand you, maybe better than you think.”