Russian spies using crypto and Telegram to incite chaos across Europe

Russian spies are using Telegram and crypto to entice teenagers and young adults across Europe to carry out acts of sabotage and violence.

That’s according to a study released by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and shared with the i Paper.

The study revealed that Russian actors are targeting teenagers and young adults via a network of Telegram groups called “com networks” in which participants compete for clout by uploading harmful content.

I Paper discovered two clips shared in these groups took place in the UK. In one instance, someone filmed themselves smashing a car that belonged to a care worker.

Another showed what appears to be the same person throwing a brick through the window of a house.

One week after these incidents, Ukrainian police arrested two young boys, aged 11 and 15, who were allegedly planning to attack their school with guns and explosives “on the orders of the Russian Federation.”

The Security Service of Ukraine described these incidents as a Russian intelligence operation.

According to the ISD, there are “multiple indicators suggesting possible Russian state-linked support” for parts of the network, and organizers “mirror established Russian methods for recruiting ‘disposable agents’ for violence abroad.”

The study’s author, Steven Rai, claims they’ve seen the Russia-linked Telegram chats offer crypto for arson attacks, and that these payments within the com networks are “completely new.”

An all-encompassing umbrella group made up of a collection of these Telegram networks claims it wants to bring participants of different views together with “one goal” to cause chaos.

One part of this collective claims to be allied with Direct Action, a Russian-manufactured far-right group that organised the fire bombing of former UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s house.

In this case, thousands of dollars worth of the stablecoin USDT was reportedly offered to a 22-year-old Ukrainian in return for carrying out the attacks in the hopes of attracting press coverage.