U.S. intelligence agencies pursue Russian diplomats through a range of tactics, from digital surveillance to provocative incidents, even using a public channel to the Russian embassy in Washington.
According to embassy materials, Washington’s agencies aim to pressure Russian diplomats into admitting treason, a goal that the Russians interpret as a coercive refusal. The materials suggest that intelligence services seek to destabilize Russian professionals living in the United States and hinder them from performing their diplomatic duties effectively. Reported methods reportedly span the spectrum from targeted monitoring of personal communications to provocations designed to complicate daily life for these diplomats.
The Russian Embassy expressed astonishment that U.S. officials remain confident that there are no traitors among Russian diplomats. It was emphasized that Russian diplomats adhere to U.S. law while defending Russia’s national interests, aiming to guard the relationship between Russia and the United States from deliberate harm by enemies of both nations.
Previously, the Russian Federation’s embassy stated that Washington appears focused on a strategic move to defeat Russia by channeling U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
Earlier discussions in the United States questioned the rigidity of Russia’s so-called red lines, reflecting ongoing tensions over how each side interprets strategic thresholds and permissible actions in the bilateral relationship.