Speaking to security officials on March 17, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said that a "giant system" of 56 countries is taking advantage of the full experience of intelligence agencies to carry out sabotage, terrorist attacks and destabilizing activities against Russia.
In fact, 56 countries are using all nghiệp vụ tools to target our key infrastructure" - Mr. Shoigu emphasized, describing the capabilities of Western intelligence networks as "very broad and sophisticated".
According to Mr. Shoigu, the number of terrorist-related incidents in Russia in 2025 increased by 40% compared to the same period last year. He believes that many of these activities are related to Ukraine, especially through remote impact campaigns.
The perpetrators are often influenced by information warfare, ideologically incited or lured with money to carry out sabotage acts. Some cases are also sophisticatedly manipulated online, making them tools to serve Kiev's goals.
Along with underground operations, Russia is also facing an increasing wave of long-range attacks. Mr. Shoigu warned that the rapid development of weapon systems, especially unmanned devices, has made any area on Russian territory a target.
Nowhere is really safe," Mr. Shoigu said, emphasizing the complexity and unpredictability of modern attacks.
The Russian Federal Security Service regularly announces that it has prevented sabotage and assassination plots targeting domestic targets. According to the Russian side, some plans are designed in a way that puts the perpetrator at risk of death.
Ukrainian special forces agencies are accused of using similar online scams such as appropriating money from victims, then promising to return it if they participate in illegal acts.
Not only facing pressure from the conflict with Ukraine, Russia also has to closely monitor developments in the Middle East - an area that Moscow believes may create new security threats.
Mr. Shoigu called on functional agencies to maintain high vigilance, emphasizing that underestimating the risk or delays in sealing "security holes" could lead to serious consequences.
Russia's warning shows an increasingly clear reality: Besides tangible battlefields, an underground war - where intelligence, technology and psychology become weapons - is silently shaping the global geopolitical landscape.
