Brazilian police have exposed a Russian spy network operating under false documents, dealing a major blow to Moscow’s intelligence program.
Brazil’s Federal Police have uncovered a vast network of Russian spy operations operating under false identities in the country. The investigation, known as Operation East, revealed that Russian agents had been living in Brazil using fabricated documents such as birth certificates, voter registration cards, and passports.
Although the documents appeared legitimate, authorities found no ties between the individuals and any Brazilian birth records or parentage. Federal agents referred to these individuals as “ghosts” and began analyzing millions of records to detect patterns across birth certificates, passports, and social security data.
Brazilian investigators shared their findings with global intelligence agencies. When cross-checked against existing records of Russian intelligence personnel, several identities were matched—enabling Brazil to link real names to the fake identities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously acknowledged the existence of such operations, describing undercover officers as “special people” serving their fatherland. He oversaw similar activities during his time as a young KGB officer in East Germany at the end of the Cold War.
Over the past three years, Brazilian counterintelligence agents have methodically tracked these operatives. They have identified at least nine Russian officers using Brazilian cover identities.
Many of the spies fled the country after their covers were compromised, leaving behind electronic devices containing communications about their secret missions. In response, Brazil, in coordination with Interpol, issued a series of alerts and circulated the names, photographs, and fingerprints of the operatives.
The investigation dealt a serious blow to Moscow’s intelligence operations, dismantling a highly trained group of officers. At least two were arrested, while others who escaped are unlikely to operate abroad again.
A hot air balloon carrying 21 people caught fire and crashed Saturday in southern Brazil, killing eight and injuring at least 13 others, local authorities said.
Prosecutors in Brazil have filed a lawsuit to annul a $180 million carbon offset agreement signed by the state of Para, citing legal and ethical violations in the high-profile rainforest conservation initiative backed by major global firms.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
A Brazilian criminal group known as C4 allegedly conspired to assassinate lawmakers and judges using rifles, explosives, and hired lures—prompting a nationwide police operation that has so far led to five arrests.
Mexico, Chile and Uruguay have suspended poultry imports from Brazil after the country reported its first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm, Brazilian officials reported.
At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured after a suicide bomber attacked a church in central Damascus, Syria’s capital, on Sunday, officials confirmed.
U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have drawn calls for restraint and diplomacy from global leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Israel is nearing its objective of eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, vowing to continue the campaign until those threats are neutralised.
The U.N. Security Council met on Sunday after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed a resolution urging an immediate Middle East ceasefire, raising tensions over the legality and fallout of Western military action.
The U.S. maintains a broad military presence across the Middle East, reflecting long-standing strategic interests and evolving regional dynamics.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have drawn calls for restraint and diplomacy from global leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Israel is nearing its objective of eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, vowing to continue the campaign until those threats are neutralised.
The U.N. Security Council met on Sunday after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed a resolution urging an immediate Middle East ceasefire, raising tensions over the legality and fallout of Western military action.
The United States has called on China to use its influence to dissuade Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, warning that such a move would trigger severe global economic fallout and risk major escalation following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
NATO member states have reached a consensus on a landmark defence spending target of 5% of GDP by 2035, paving the way for a formal announcement at the alliance’s upcoming summit in The Hague.
At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured after a suicide bomber attacked a church in central Damascus, Syria’s capital, on Sunday, officials confirmed.
U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have drawn calls for restraint and diplomacy from global leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Israel is nearing its objective of eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, vowing to continue the campaign until those threats are neutralised.
The U.N. Security Council met on Sunday after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed a resolution urging an immediate Middle East ceasefire, raising tensions over the legality and fallout of Western military action.
The U.S. maintains a broad military presence across the Middle East, reflecting long-standing strategic interests and evolving regional dynamics.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment