Russia's new elite hit squad was compromised by using Google Translate
10 hours ago
- #Assassination Plots
- #Military Operations
- #Russian Intelligence
- Center 795 is a top-secret Russian unit formed after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, comprising elite GRU and FSB operatives for high-risk missions, including assassinations and abductions.
- The unit operates autonomously under the direct command of Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, bypassing traditional GRU hierarchies.
- Denis Alimov, a senior operative in Center 795, was arrested in Colombia for orchestrating assassination plots against Chechen dissidents, using Google Translate for encrypted communications, which led to his exposure.
- Center 795 is embedded within the Kalashnikov Concern, camouflaging its activities as legitimate arms manufacturing and testing operations.
- The unit is financed by billionaire Andrei Bokarev, who channels funds through Kalashnikov and Transmashholding, mirroring Yevgeny Prigozhin's model for funding Wagner Group.
- Center 795's structure includes Intelligence, Assault, and Combat Support Directorates, equipped with advanced military hardware like T-90A tanks and Smerch rocket systems.
- The unit recruits heavily from FSB's Alfa unit and Belarusian KGB veterans, ensuring operatives have no prior Russian military ties to avoid detection.
- Alimov's operational failures, including reliance on Google Translate and poor tradecraft, led to the unit's exposure, undermining its secrecy and effectiveness.
- The exposure of Center 795 poses significant risks for its backers, including Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov, who may face backlash for the unit's activities in Western Europe.
- Despite its sophisticated design, Center 795's downfall highlights persistent vulnerabilities in Russian intelligence operations, particularly human error and reliance on insecure communication methods.