Russian intelligence services have created a new secret unit, the purpose of which is to carry out secret attacks in Europe and other regions, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Western intelligence sources, quoted by BTA.
The Special Task Force (STF) is based at the headquarters of Russian military intelligence - a modern glass and steel complex in the suburbs of Moscow. According to the publication, the unit is responsible for assassination attempts, sabotage and plots to plant incendiary devices on airplanes.
The activities of the SSZ also include infiltrating its agents into foreign companies, recruiting agents in Ukraine, developing countries and countries friendly to Russia. The department also runs the elite special operations center "Senezh", where Russia trains some of its special forces.
According to Western intelligence, the unit was created in 2023 in response to Western military aid to Ukraine and includes veterans of some of Moscow's most daring covert operations. Intelligence sources in Europe, the United States and Russia say it is behind recent attacks on Western targets, including threats to kill the CEO of German arms giant Rheinmetall and plots to sabotage the courier company DHL.
The SSG is headed by General Andrei Averyanov, and his deputy is General Ivan Kasyanenko. Averyanov, a veteran of the Russian-Chechen wars, is wanted by Czech police on suspicion of involvement in a 2014 explosion at an ammunition depot that killed two people. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded him the highest state award, the Hero of Russia medal, for his role in the annexation of Crimea.
According to Western intelligence sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, Gen. Kasyanenko coordinated the operation to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK in 2018.