Chris welcomes back national security journalist Florian Flade to unpack Russia’s shadow war against NATO. They examine Moscow’s escalating hybrid attacks across Europe—from sabotage and arson to drone incursions and attempted assassinations—and how Russia recruits low-level agents via Telegram and even AI-driven chatbots. Florian details arson plots, suspicious drone activity near critical infrastructure, infiltration of the German Navy, and a parcel bomb campaign stretching from Lithuania to the UK. They also explore how Russia exploits legal loopholes, overwhelms under-resourced security services, and uses these operations to map NATO’s vulnerabilities. Plus, an alleged assassination plot in Frankfurt, concerns about escalation, and why European security services may still be underprepared for what’s coming.

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2cbe95

YouTube: https://youtu.be/1WFUmHSW3NQ

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/florianflade.bsky.social

Twitter/X: https://x.com/FlorianFlade

Blog: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/

“Cluster of New Drone Sightings in the North” by lorian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, and Benedikt Strunz: https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/drohnen-ueberfluege-102.html

“Sabotage of Navy Warships” by Manuel Bewarder and Florian Flade: https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/sabotage-marine-ostsee-102.html

“Russian Intelligence Service Suspected Behind Sabotage” by Manuel Bewarder, Florian Flade, and Sebastian Pittelkow: https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/russland-sabotage-106.html

“The Man with Many Identities” by Florian Flade, Antonius Kempmann and Palina Milling: https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/ukraine-russland-spionage-102.html

“Arrests Including for Espionage Activities and Membership in the Foreign Terrorist Organization ‘Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR)’” by the Federal Attorney General’s Office: https://www.generalbundesanwalt.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2024/Pressemitteilung-vom-18-04-2024.html

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode unpacks global events through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts.