Russia's FSB intelligence agency considers China a "threat" to the country's national security. In addition, Moscow is worried that Beijing may try to seize its territory. This is stated in internal Russian intelligence documents, access to which was obtained by The New York Times, FOCUS reported.
The documents concern the interests of Chinese intelligence in Russia. The threats that the Russian Federation sees in China are outlined in an eight-page internal FSB planning document that sets priorities for combating Chinese espionage. The document is not dated, which increases the likelihood that it is a draft, although the context indicates that it was written in late 2023. or early 2024.
"Publicly, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has declared the strengthening of friendship between the Russian Federation and China, as well as the "golden era" of strategic military and economic cooperation. In the corridors of the Lubyanka, the headquarters of the Russian internal security agency, known as the FSB, a secret intelligence unit calls the Chinese "enemies," the newspaper writes.
The NYT also writes that the FSB intelligence unit warns that China is a serious threat to Russian security. Its officials say that Beijing is increasingly trying to recruit Russian spies and acquire classified military technology, sometimes luring disgruntled Russian scientists.
Russian intelligence officials say that China is spying on Russian military operations in Ukraine to learn about Western weapons and the war. China is particularly interested in drones and communications. They also fear that Chinese scientists are laying the groundwork for a claim to Russian territory. And they warned that Chinese intelligence agents are spying in the Arctic, using mining companies and university research centers as cover. :
The document says that Chinese intelligence agents have increased their efforts to recruit Russian officials, experts, journalists and businessmen close to the authorities in Moscow.
At the same time, China is vetting its agents upon arrival from Russia and closely monitoring Russian students in China. Russia also does not trust China - the FSB is conducting counterintelligence operations against those Russians who are recruited by Chinese special services.
The article states that Russian intelligence services cannot openly call China an "enemy" in reports due to the authorities' decision to "befriend" with China.
The article concludes by noting that Russian officers have been warned to avoid any public "mentions of Chinese intelligence services as a potential enemy".