Russian Intelligence Increases Efforts to Acquire Western Dual-Use Technology Amid Sanctions

Russian intelligence agencies have grown more aggressive in efforts to steal Western technology and defence secrets, three senior European intelligence officials told The Associated Press. Moscow's agents are establishing shell companies, recruiting intermediaries, and deploying cyber spies and hackers, the officials said.

Four years of international sanctions have curtailed Moscow's procurement of machinery, technology, and research from Europe.

Christoffer Wedelin, deputy head of operations at the Swedish Security Service, said Russia is targeting the defense industry and high-end research on Sweden’s most advanced weaponry such as the Gripen fighter jet. He said Russia is also trying to procure camera and laser technology developed for civilian purposes that could be integrated into Russian weapons systems.

Juha Martelius, director of Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service, said Russia is trying to steal space technology, quantum technology, arctic technology, and marine technology.

He said space technology is something Russia needs right now and that Russia needs sanctioned computer technology and software updates for machine tools. K. and its European allies by stealing technology and plotting sabotage and assassination attempts.

In May, Swedish police arrested two people on suspicion of violating sanctions relating to a company in Turkey that has made dozens of shipments of metalworking and metal-turning machine tools to Russia. Wedelin said all of the security and intelligence services in Russia are helping on the state’s efforts to acquire technology.

He said Russia is deploying cyberattacks against European firms and critical infrastructure.

Russia-linked actors attacked a Swedish power plant last year in an attempt to destroy the plant, Wedelin said. The attack was detected by the system and failed. He said the attack was partly aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine.

Before the power plant attack, Sweden's security services had mostly observed reconnaissance for potential attacks, intelligence gathering or activity linked to cybercriminals. Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, said about a third of Russia's gross domestic product currently goes to the war effort. 1 billion) for the whole of 2026.

9 billion) by the end of February 2026. The Iran war erupted on February 28. S. has granted sanctions waivers for the sale of Russian oil.

U.K. watered down its sanctions in an attempt to lower global fuel costs. Anne Keast-Butler said almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Russia and Ukraine have mostly kept their combat casualty figures under wraps. Juha Martelius said that while some reports on the war in Ukraine may have been sanitized before reaching President Vladimir Putin's desk, he believes the Russian leader has a fairly clear picture of the economic challenges.