Le cueilleur Profile picture
Apr 16, 2022 6 tweets 3 min read Read on X
Moscow's ears in Paris
#thread

The French capital has been an important refuge for Russians for decades. Once again, Moscow has invested heavily in espionage know-how. Even the German counter-intelligence was confronted with it. A closer look 1/6
The largest Russian Orthodox cultural centre in Western Europe opened in Paris in October 2016. In November 2016, @LeTemps ran the headline: "In Paris, Russian espionage under domes“ 2/6 letemps.ch/monde/paris-le…
Excerpts: "There is talk of a Russian place with diplomatic immunity, located just a few hundred metres from the Quai d'Orsay and the Elysée Palace (...) German ambassador Meyer-Landrut, whose residence is nearby, had asked his counterintelligence services for checks" 3/6
Intelligence experts see a high-tech spy base right next to the Elysee's service flats (pixelated) 4/6 Image
The Russian Embassy - Boulevard Lannes - in Paris has several satellite dishes (red arrows), antennas (yellow) and a #sigint shed (green) on the roof 5/6 ImageImageImage
The satellite dishes seem to have a „flexible" focus. Google Timelaps shows very precisely the different rotations of the dishes 6/6 ImageImage

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More from @LCueilleur

Nov 29
Russia is conducting active spy operations on the European continent. At various levels and with many means. This is shown in a recent report by @RadioTeleSuisse @SRF on the espionage activities of the Russian mission in Geneva in Switzerland. But there's more 1/5 Image
Discone antennas are installed on the roof of the Russian mission. They are used for local communication with members of the mission, but also specifically for counterintel. The discone antenna is used by intel services worldwide because of its wide bandwidth characteristics 2/5 Image
Among other things, they intercept radio signals from enemy intelligence services. It is used for self-protection and for the detection of local surveillance units. (RTS screenshot) 3/5 Image
Read 5 tweets
Aug 20
One of Munich's most famous landmarks is Karlsplatz/Stachus. During the Cold War, it was a centre of intelligence services. Nowhere else in the city was the density of espionage as high as there. Even a #KGB murder plot took place there. Here is an overview 👇1/8 Image
1. #OrganisationGehlen (Org.) cover firm Gloria Film Verleih GmbH at Karlsplatz 7. For years, the cinema and film distribution company serves as a cover for operations and staff. The cinema Gloria Palast at Stachus still exists today 2/8
2. #Bundesnachrichtendienst BND cover agency Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik - BFSt at Karlsplatz 7a at Stachus. Active in the 1970s.  In most cases, the cover BFSt served the telecommunication-electronic surveillance centres. The office was relocated in the 1980s 3/8
Read 8 tweets
Jul 9
Beijing's ears in Munich
#thread

The interception of enemy communications is an important element of China's espionage techniques. In recent years, Beijing has invested a lot of money in new #SIGINT stations around the world. China's ears are also growing in Europe 1/14 Image
Almost 10 years ago, China opened a new Consulate General in Munich, Hofmannstraße 57. The largest of its kind in Europe. The equipment on the roof has also been expanded over the last 5 years. Security experts suspect #SIGINT activities behind this and more 2/14
Image
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Security experts suspect that one dish is used for #SIGINT operations. The other is used to transmit the collected data to China. Both dishes are located on rotating heads (racking rotor). Main targets are likely to be the Middle East and the African continent 3/14 Image
Read 14 tweets
Feb 2
Horst Schwirkmann died a year ago today. He was a long-time #Bundesnachrichtendienst staff member and an expert in radio defence (Funkabwehr). An absolute master of his trade. To this day he is the only officially known victim of a Soviet poison gas attack on a #BND employee 1/8 Image
He survived but his recovery was long and painful. Moscow 1963, the West German embassy was extensively bugged by the #KGB. At the time Horst Schwirkmann was an electronics specialist at the #BND's Central Cipher Centre - Zentralstelle für das Chiffrierwesen (ZfCh) in Bonn 2/8
His job: to track down bugs and other hidden #KGB microphones. He quickly finds what he is looking for. The #BND bug sweeper uses a trick on the mass of microphones. He injects a very high voltage into the microphone cable 3/8
Read 8 tweets
Dec 20, 2023
The SIGINT water tower
#thread

An inconspicuous water tower in the direct vicinity of the Soviet embassy in Bonn plays an important role in the #ColdWar. It was a secret listening post for years. Radio signals from the embassy were intercepted here 1/7 Image
In 1975, the Soviet embassy moves to Viktorshöhe in Bonn. A new building is quickly erected on the site. USSR technicians rapidly expand the #SIGINT capacities on the buildings. The location on the hill is ideal for interception operations 2/7
The West German intel services, with the help of the US, are also very interested in information from the new embassy. The phone lines are tapped. The entrances to the embassy grounds are monitored with video cameras. Secret equipment is installed in the neighbouring houses 3/7
Read 8 tweets
Dec 26, 2022
The current espionage case in the #Bundesnachrichtendienst shakes the NATO intelligence community. There could hardly be a worse time than now. The alleged spy is said to be a senior staff member from the top-secret #BND SIGINT division 1/9
The person works there in the evaluation department, according to media reports. On European soil, the #BND is one of the big players with its #SIGINT capacities. He is an important intelligence tool in the work against Russia in the Ukraine war 2/9
In view of the war in Ukraine, the current espionage case could turn into a disaster for the #BND. Partner services cut off the flow of information. Trust is gone. This is likely to paralyse the work of the BND for years - much to Moscow's advantage 3/9
Read 9 tweets

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