While the world sees Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as unshakable friends, a leaked internal document from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) sheds light on Moscow’s growing distrust toward Beijing. Russia’s powerful intelligence unit refers to China as “the enemy” in an eight-page planning document obtained by The New York Times.
The document, authored by a previously undisclosed FSB unit, reportedly warned that China is a serious threat to Russian security, with Beijing increasingly trying to recruit Russian spies and get its hands on sensitive military technology, at times by luring “disaffected Russian scientists”. The document, cited by the NYT, was first obtained by Ares Leaks, a cybercrime group, but did not say how it did so.
Citing intelligence officers, the NYT reported that Beijing is spying on Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine to gather more information on Western weapons and warfare.
China, which shares a land border with Russia, may be planning to lay claim to the Russian territory. Russian intelligence reportedly fears that Chinese academics are laying the groundwork for the same, particularly in sparsely populated and strategically significant regions near their shared border.
The document said that Beijing’s intelligence agents were carrying out espionage in the Arctic using mining firms and university research centres as cover.
The report noted that while most of Russia’s espionage resources focused on Ukraine, the FSB feared China– which shares more than 4,000 miles of its border– might take advantage
“Since then, according to the document, the FSB observed China doing just that. Chinese intelligence agents stepped up efforts to recruit Russian officials, experts, journalists, and businesspeople close to power in Moscow,” the report said.
To counter growing threats from China, the FSB has reportedly instructed its officers to intercept the “threat” and “prevent the transfer of important strategic information to the Chinese.” Officers have also been asked to conduct in-person meetings with Russians working closely with China and warn them of Beijing’s intentions of taking advantage of Russia and obtaining advanced scientific research, according to the document.