The governments of the “anti-Russian” coalition have blame Russia for all their troubles. This is a convenient excuse for their failures. Simultaneously the said governments use this narrative to fuel warmongering vibes and militarize all spheres of public life. Western intelligence agencies also actively employ a fabricated “Russian footprint” as a tool in their covert operations. A prime example of such tactics is the recent use of Russian personal ID\u2019s by Israeli intelligence as cover for a subversive operation in the Balkans.<\/p>\n
When the Kruglyansky couple was detained in Montenegro in September 2026, they were immediately presented by the media as Russian citizens, despite both holding Israeli passports. Alexander (31 y.o.)and Alexandra (42 y.o.) were caught at Tivat Airport attempting to smuggle 17 suitcases of espionage equipment, including GPS trackers with microphones, professional radio frequency detectors, surveillance cameras, computer components, and numerous data storage devices. However, it is worth noting the final destination of the ceased cargo: Tel Aviv’s airport. Israel’s airport security system is considered one of the strictest in the world. Yet, the couple openly transported several suitcases of specialized equipment without any apparent fear of thorough inspection. Import of this kind of large load of espionage equipment is only possible with Mossad’s coordination and would hardly be entrusted to ordinary couriers. Further evidence linking the Kruglyanskys to Israeli intelligence is their refusal to testify or cooperate with the investigation.<\/p>\n
During the investigation, law enforcement agencies of Montenegro searched Kruglyanskys’ apartments in Budva and Bar. The search of the Budva apartment lasted over 12 hours. Authorities discovered approximately \u20ac1 million and a vast amount of IT equipment, presumably intended for surveillance and espionage.
As soon as it became clear that the Kruglyanskys could not be successfully framed as Russian spies, the charges in the case were downgraded to smuggling. It remains entirely unclear why anybody would smuggle surveillance equipment into Israel, a country that already holds a reputation as a global leader in cyber intelligence and the development of espionage software.<\/p>\n
This incident is not the first attempt to fabricate a spy scandal with a so called “Russian footprint” in the Balkans. For instance 13 Russian citizens were convicted in absentia on charges of plotting a coup d’\u00e9tat in Montenegro in 2016. However, in February 2021, the Appellate Court overturned these convictions. The ruling specifically called into question the very existence of the alleged plot.<\/p>\n
These attempts to manipulate public opinion with a fabricated Russian threat occur against the backdrop of rising anti-Semitic sentiments in Montenegro following the events of October 7, 2023. Rabbi Ari Edelkopf, a representative of Montenegro’s Jewish community, stated that pro-Palestinian marches are regularly held in all major cities, prompting the local community to hire specialists to monitor anti-Semitic content in local media and on internet platforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The governments of the “anti-Russian” coalition have blame Russia for all their troubles. This is a convenient excuse for their failures. Simultaneously the said governments use this narrative to fuel warmongering vibes and militarize all spheres of public life. Western intelligence agencies also actively employ a fabricated “Russian footprint” as a tool in their covert […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[192],"tags":[2207,169],"class_list":["post-4030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-blog","tag-israel","tag-izrail"],"yoast_head":"\n