Russia has made many appearances in my author articles about the spy world, and for good reason. Their below the threshold of warfare doctrine, developed with limited success by the KGB during the cold war, has gotten a potent upgrade with the mass adoption of digital media.
As the spy community upgrades technical capabilities in the United States, they seem to lag behind corporate America’s latest and greatest. I cannot help but wonder what all this is for? You can collect, analyse, and deliver prime intelligence updates to free-world countries, but is it truly understood?
I’ve chatted with quite a few people, who still cannot see the link between the digital world of social media enabled disinformation, and subversion in the physical world. The thought that makes me shudder is that such disinformation campaigns legally spearhead wider subversion campaigns in target countries. It also extends by indirect means to countries who are not digitally engaged!
Digital Subversion As A Spy Tool for Russia
In reviewing relevant social media posts on Twitter/X, I can see the subversive hand of bots at play propping up Donald Trump’s next play to oust President Biden in this November’s US elections. They support his friendly disposition towards the Putin regime, his illogical place in US politics, and his neat fit into the agenda of Project 2025.
What is also clear is the online panic of the average US citizen. They are all key indicators of digital subversion by Russia and others towards the American people. Russia’s meddling in US politics has a long history. In its current form, it’s become inherently more dangerous to the United States, and her allies. Putin is not one for missing an opportunity, and moving into Africa has advanced a callous, yet effectively controlled agenda.
From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows, available on pre-order for September 11th release.
The command-and-control infrastructure of the Wagner group is remarkably effective. Africans have already endured the effects of Russia’s global subversion offensive. Riding on the back of Russia’s campaign with its partners, western complacency and vulnerable politics have played key parts in Russia’s bloated success.
Russia Rampage In Africa
While western societies are being meddled with, the resulting social and political disruption are creating a fog over Russia’s wider strategy. A key part of this strategy for the Putin regime is the Wagner group. Wagner’s rampage through Africa has seen some local resistance in certain parts, which was met with brutal suppression.
The latest outrage is in the Central African Republic. This episode sees the Wagner group empower a bigoted regime and, at the same time, control its precious mineral resources. Daily Beast ran with an article on the brutal murder of a local Iman. He was a vocal critic of the local regime and Wagner’s interference in their affairs.
This tragedy should have seen media pick up of the story in the East and the West. A poor nation like the Central African Republic that is being used by Russia is mineral rich, and also in desperate need of help. The French withdrawal raised no eyebrows, nor did the brutality of the Wagner group, since the new rulers invited them in. Where is all this going, and why?
Global Strategy Layers Uncovered
My guess is that there’s a larger game at play. China has been by western standards, taking advantage of African nations since the 1990s in extracting natural minerals and resources. This is not new to Africans, given the long and often brutal history of western colonization.
China, as a global powerhouse, has set new standards in how they work and how they use their spy community. You could say, they have changed up for the 21st century. Follow on Russia as a junior partner, albeit less able, less intelligent, and far less capable, a chance for ‘win-win’ collaboration becomes clear.
Economic success empowers China, and manipulation of partner relations empowers Russia. Russia’s leading card seems to be meddling with the west via hybrid strategies falling below the threshold of war. As western awareness slowly creeps in, I think the panic and focus by politicians on home base is losing sight of Russia’s overarching strategy and goals.
Russia has succeeded in its disruption of western societies, thanks to many social media companies not robustly responding to the obvious abuse of their platforms. It may sound frivolous and in isolation; it is a transient problem.
However, combined with the other strategy aspects, such as the conquest of Africa, the continued use of customized digital subversion strategies, and any ignorance shown by Western governments, a recipe for success presents for the Putin regime.
Clear Vision Needed for Future Collaboration
It’s not fair to say that it happened overnight, nor is it fair to expect a grand western Army to librate African countries from Wagner. However, if western nations, through their security services, understand the grit and substance of such a hostile strategy, then we can cleverly help others, while also helping ourselves.
International espionage across all continents, hybrid subversion strategies and increasingly bold societal interference demand our attention. If we don’t, then time will see poor decisions play out, and the future bill will carry truly punitive rates of interest.
About the Author
John is a versatile author known for his gripping fiction narratives in the thriller, action, and suspense genres. With a background as a journalist since 2016, and expertise in cloud technologies as an engineer; John brings a unique blend of storytelling prowess and technical acumen to his work.
