The video's narrator contemplates his 35th birthday, the legacy of his father, who served as a Russian paratrooper, and whether he has “the courage to stand against this betrayal.”

The CIA released another video Monday appealing to Russians disillusioned with the country’s leaders, offering them a way to pass secrets to the American spy agency.

Titled “Why I contacted CIA: the motherland,” the Russian-language video, posted on Telegram and other social media platforms, attempts to connect with Russians’ sense of patriotism and the disparity between soldiers’ making sacrifices on the battlefield and the comfortable lives of the country’s elites.

The CIA posted two similar videos last year on social media.

“We are seeing more outreach from Russians as a result of these videos,” a CIA spokesperson said. “If it weren’t working, we wouldn’t be on video number three.”

  • @CandelestineEnglish
    -4•11 months ago

    I’m saying that very few of our institutions have the resources and experience necessary to fight back against any form of espionage. Our intelligence agencies do, so I would appreciate a pivot from intelligence-gathering and destabilization operations, which are a part of their mission, to counter-intelligence against our rivals, which is also part of their mission. This seems to have been neglected, given how Russian spies have managed to perform assassinations in the west, become Italian admirals and German fintech CEOs, and do on-the-ground surveillance in Ukraine in support of their invasion.

    I am deeply disappointed in our CIA these days. Their intelligence gathering is fine, but they should be protecting us as well.

      • @jordanlundMEnglish
        4•11 months ago

        Lots of rule 5 violations today. People need to take a step back. Moon phase? Something in the air?

        Rule 5: Keep it civil. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (perjorative, perjorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (perjorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect!

      • @CandelestineEnglish
        2•11 months ago

        Counter-intelligence work does not require one to move to China or Russia when the targets that need detection are not operating in China or Russia.