S9 Ep24: Espresso Martini | The GRU’s New Black Ops Unit, Russian Hybrid Warfare in Britain, and Listener Questions

Russia’s latest covert warfare escalations take center stage in this week’s Espresso Martini. Chris and Matt unpack the emergence of the GRU’s Department of Special Tasks, a new clandestine unit coordinating assassinations, sabotage, and hybrid warfare operations against the West. They also break down an alarming report on a Russia-linked Telegram network inciting terrorism and hate crimes in the UK—just another front in Moscow’s war of destabilization. Plus, listener questions on the dilemmas of counterterrorism, the future of Five Eyes under Trump, and top spy books, both fiction and non-fiction.Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/O_uErvzy13oArticles discussed in today’s episode"A New Spy Unit Is Leading Russia’s Shadow War Against the West" by Bojan Pancevski | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/russia-spy-covert-attacks-8199e376"A Russia-linked Telegram network is inciting terrorism and is behind hate crimes in the UK" by Gregory Davis | Hope Not Hate: https://hopenothate.org.uk/2025/02/10/exclusive-a-russia-linked-telegram-network-is-inciting-terrorism-and-is-behind-hate-crimes-in-the-uk/Recommended Spy ReadsIn this episode, we share some of our favorite spy books—both fiction and non-fiction. Whether you’re looking for deep dives into real-world espionage or classic spy thrillers, these picks have you covered.Chris’s Picks: A mix of gripping true stories and classic spy fiction, covering Cold War betrayals, intelligence tradecraft, and covert operations.Fiction: Agents of Innocence (David Ignatius), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (John le Carré), Ashenden (W. Somerset Maugham), The Deceiver (Frederick Forsyth), Damascus Station (David McCloskey)Non-Fiction: Next Stop Execution (Oleg Gordievsky), The Art of Intelligence (Henry Crumpton), The Black Banners (Ali Soufan), The Good Spy (Kai Bird), Spy Master (Helen Fry)Matt’s Picks: Essential reads on espionage, covert ops, and spycraft—plus some of the genre’s best novels.Fiction: The Cardinal of the Kremlin (Tom Clancy), The Sum of All Fears (Tom Clancy), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (John le Carré), The Honourable Schoolboy (John le Carré), Smiley’s People (John le Carré), The Quiet American (Graham Greene)Non-Fiction: Spycraft (H. Keith Melton), Rise and Kill First (Ronen Bergman), Relentless Strike (Sean Naylor), Killer Elite (Michael Smith), The Targeter (Nada Bakos), Dead Drop (Jeremy Duns), The US Intelligence Community (Jeffrey Richelson)Support Secrets and SpiesBecome a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dgFor more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.comConnect with us on social mediaBlue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspiesFacebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspiesSpoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpiesFollow Chris and Matt on Blue Sky:https://bsky.app/profile/fultonmatt.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.socialSecrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.Music by Andrew R. BirdSecrets and Spies takes you deep inside the world of espionage, terrorism, and international intrigue. Each episode unpacks global events through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.