News•Feb 4, 2026
The Kremlin Files: Russian Double Agents and Operational Games
The article explains that Russian intelligence agencies prioritize loyalty to Putin and the regime over national interests, making double‑agent operations—called operational games—their core doctrine. These operations generate fabricated success stories and statistics that feed directly into Kremlin budget justifications. Historical examples from the Soviet OGPU’s TRUST operation to Cold‑War agents like Kim Philby illustrate a long‑standing pattern of using double agents to manipulate adversaries and internal narratives. Modern FSB units now target journalists, NGOs and businesspeople, turning espionage into a tool for extortion and political leverage.
By The Cipher Brief
News•Feb 3, 2026
Should Western Tech Giants Partner With Pro-Hamas Network Al Jazeera?
Google Cloud has become the primary technology provider for Al Jazeera’s new AI‑driven news engine, “The Core,” which uses generative AI to draft scripts, retrieve archives, and create visualizations. Critics argue the partnership risks amplifying state‑directed, pro‑Hamas content because Al...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Feb 2, 2026
Greenland’s Worth a Fight and Russia’s Trying to Start One
Greenland’s position in the GIUK Gap makes it the linchpin for NATO’s ability to detect Russian submarines before they enter the Atlantic, while its Pituffik Space Base hosts critical early‑warning radars for U.S. missile defense. Moscow is exploiting the U.S.‑Europe...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 28, 2026
China’s Stunning Military Purge – and What It Means For Taiwan
President Xi Jinping has purged two of the most senior members of the Central Military Commission, General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli, effectively gutting the PLA's top command. The removals, framed as discipline violations, follow a broader campaign that...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 27, 2026
Inside Trump’s New ‘Board of Peace’
President Donald Trump signed the charter for the newly created Board of Peace (BOP) at Davos, positioning himself as its inaugural chairman with sweeping authority over membership, agenda, and dissolution. The charter grants Trump unilateral power to appoint and remove...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 26, 2026
They're Coming for Our Kids: How Extremists Target Children Online
Extremist groups are increasingly targeting children on platforms such as Discord, Instagram, Reddit, and gaming chats, turning these digital third spaces into recruitment hubs. In 2024, teenagers accounted for roughly two‑thirds of ISIS‑linked arrests in Europe, and similar patterns are...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 26, 2026
The Next FATF Test: Can the West Demand Results From Pakistan?
The Financial Action Task Force will meet in February 2026 to reassess Pakistan after its 2022 removal from the grey list. While Pakistan has introduced anti‑money‑laundering laws and institutional reforms, open‑source evidence shows terrorist groups like Jaish‑e‑Mohammad and Lashkar‑e‑Taiba still...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 23, 2026
Loosening the Gordian Knot of Global Terrorism: Why Legitimacy Must Anchor a Counterterrorism Strategy
The 2026 terrorism environment is more hybrid and unpredictable than ever. The author argues that a legitimate U.S. counterterrorism strategy—grounded in legal credibility and international partnership—is essential for the second Trump administration. Past strategies, like the 2018 National Strategy for...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 21, 2026
The Kremlin Files: Russia’s Way to the Gray Zone
The article examines Russia’s evolution of gray‑zone or hybrid warfare, focusing on the doctrine of “non‑contact war” and the intelligence‑driven “active measures.” It traces the concept from Soviet‑era sixth‑generation warfare ideas through the writings of generals Slipchenko, Gareev and Gerasimov,...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 19, 2026
New Reports Reveal Years of Unaddressed Osprey Safety Risks
New GAO and NAVAIR reviews expose decades‑long safety gaps in the V‑22 Osprey program, highlighting 34 unresolved risks, eight of them catastrophic, and a surge in serious mishaps during 2023‑2024. The reports show that critical component failures—such as hard‑clutch engagement...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 18, 2026
The Coast Guard's Mission in the Gray Zone
The opinion piece argues that U.S. defense planning over‑emphasizes expeditionary warfighting while neglecting the Coast Guard’s crucial role in enforcing sovereignty in the gray zone. The Coast Guard uniquely combines law‑enforcement authority, Title 14/10 flexibility, and continuous maritime presence to counter...
By The Cipher Brief
News•Jan 16, 2026
What U.S. – China Cooperation Means for the World
An opinion piece argues that despite recent U.S. criticism of China over the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the United States and China must deepen cooperation to avoid global crises. It highlights historic joint efforts—from Cold‑War intelligence sharing to...
By The Cipher Brief