Embassy in Mexico Embassy ● Roster captured

RegTech Times reported on September 22nd that “in recent years, Russia has significantly increased its presence in Mexican espionage activities directed at the United States. Despite limited trade ties with Mexico, Russian intelligence services have expanded their influence, adding dozens of personnel to the Russian embassy in Mexico City. According to U.S. officials, this growing presence is believed to be part of Russia’s broader intelligence operations targeting the U.S. The surge in Russian spies in Mexico has become a critical focus for the U.S. intelligence community, particularly after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The increase in Russian intelligence personnel in Mexico is part of a strategic shift by Russia to continue its global espionage activities after many of its operatives were expelled from European countries. U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, are closely monitoring Russia’s activities, with officials stating that Mexico has become a major hub for Russian espionage. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and its military intelligence arm, the GRU, are believed to have moved some of their operations to Mexico in response to sanctions and diplomatic isolation from the West. Mexico presents an ideal location for Russian espionage due to its proximity to the United States and the relatively less restrictive environment for foreign intelligence activities. Unlike in the U.S., where Russian intelligence is under constant scrutiny by the FBI, Mexico offers a more lenient atmosphere where Russian operatives can move more freely. Mexico has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Russia, which allows Russian intelligence agents to operate with less interference. Former intelligence officers have pointed out that Russian agents often use Mexico as a base to oversee operations targeting the U.S. American spies who work for Russia have been known to travel to Mexico to meet their Russian handlers, making use of the country’s proximity and convenient access to the U.S. This also allows Russian intelligence officers to manage their agents without directly operating within U.S. borders, reducing the risk of detection by U.S. law enforcement.”

NBC News reported on September 21st that “Russian intelligence services are building up their presence in Mexico for spy operations targeting the United States, a return to Cold War tactics by an increasingly aggressive regime, according to U.S. officials and former intelligence officers. Russia has added dozens of personnel to its embassy staff in Mexico City in the past few years, even though Moscow has only limited trade ties with the country. U.S. officials say the trend is concerning and believe the extensive buildup is aimed at bolstering the Kremlin’s intelligence operations targeting the U.S., as well as its propaganda efforts aimed at undermining Washington and Ukraine. The Biden administration has raised the issue with the Mexican government, a U.S. official told NBC News. “Russia has really invested in Mexico in terms of seeking to extend their presence,” the official said. The Mexican Embassy and the Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment. CIA Director William Burns said earlier this month his agency and the U.S. government are “sharply focused” on Russia’s expanding footprint in Mexico, which he said was partly the result of Russian spies being expelled from foreign capitals after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “Part of this is a function of the fact that so many Russian intelligence officers have been kicked out of Europe. … So they’re looking for places to go and looking for places in which they can operate,” Burns said in London this month when asked about suspected Russian spying out of Mexico. “But we’re very sharply focused on that.” Russia’s actions in Mexico reflect a more aggressive posture by its intelligence services across multiple fronts, as the Kremlin seeks to silence critics abroad, undermine support for Ukraine and weaken Western democracies, former intelligence officials said. That approach has included sabotage and attempted sabotage in Europe, assassination plots, relentless cyberattacks and large-scale global disinformation campaigns, according to U.S. and European officials.”