Russia's FSB calls China 'the enemy' — leaked NYT report exposes secret Kremlin fears

According to the document, a previously undisclosed FSB unit warned that China poses a serious threat to Russia's security. Its officers say Beijing increasingly tries to recruit Russian spies and acquire military technologies. Sometimes, they lure dissatisfied Russian scientists.

They say China spies on Russian military operations in Ukraine to learn about Western weapons and warfare methods. Intelligence officers fear Chinese scientists are preparing grounds to claim Russian territory. They also warned that Chinese intelligence conducts espionage in the Arctic. They use mining companies and university research centers as cover.

These threats appear in an internal eight-page FSB planning document obtained by The New York Times. It sets priorities to counter Chinese spying. The document is undated, raising the possibility that it is a draft. Context suggests it was written in late 2023 or early 2024.

Recruitment of Russians and the US's chance to split Russia and China

The New York Times writes that the Russian document describes a "tense and dynamically developing intelligence battle in the shadows between the two outwardly friendly nations."

Specifically, three days before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the FSB approved a new counterintelligence program called Entente-4. The code name apparently ironically references the growing Moscow-Beijing friendship. However, the initiative's primary objective was to prevent Chinese spies from undermining Russian interests.

The timing was likely not accidental. Russia had redirected almost all its military and espionage resources to Ukraine, more than 4,000 miles from the Chinese border. It was likely worried that Beijing might try to exploit this distraction.

Since then, according to the document, the FSB has watched China do exactly that. Chinese intelligence ramped up efforts to recruit Russian officials, experts, journalists, and businessmen close to Moscow's power.

To counter this, the FSB ordered its officers to eliminate the "threat" and prevent the transfer of critical strategic information to China. They were instructed to hold in-person meetings with Russian citizens who were closely cooperating with China. The goal was to warn them that Beijing seeks to exploit Russia and obtain advanced scientific research.

Russian intelligence also ordered continuous information gathering on users of the Chinese messenger app WeChat. This included hacking targets' phones and analyzing data using software controlled by the FSB unit.

On the one hand, the FSB document confirms the theory that Russia can be drawn closer to China with the right approach. The document describes mutual distrust and suspicion. China conducts polygraph tests on agents upon their return home. It also tightens control over 20,000 Russian students in China. It tries to recruit Russians married to Chinese spouses as potential spies.

But another reading suggests the opposite. The fact that Putin apparently understands the risks of closer ties with China and still chooses to push forward may mean the US has little chance of forcing Russia to change course.

Putin has sought Xi Jinping's favor for years. He held over 40 personal meetings and solidified a much deeper partnership with China after the Ukraine invasion.

This presents a delicate challenge for Russian counterintelligence. The document shows that they attempt to mitigate the risks posed by Chinese intelligence without incurring "negative consequences for bilateral relations." Officers were warned to avoid harsh public "mention of the Chinese intelligence services as a potential enemy."

China targets Russia's military secrets and scientists

Shortly after Russian troops crossed into Ukraine, officials from Chinese defense firms and institutes linked to Chinese intelligence began arriving in Russia. According to the FSB document, their goal was to gain a better understanding of the war.

The New York Times writes that China has world-class scientists, but its army has not fought since the month-long 1979 conflict with Vietnam. This raises concerns in China about how its military would perform against Western weapons in a Taiwan or South China Sea conflict. As a result, Chinese intelligence is seeking to understand Russia's war against the Western-backed Ukrainian army.

"Of particular interest to Beijing is information about combat methods using drones, modernization of their software, and methods for countering new types of Western weapons," the FSB document states. It notes Beijing believes the war in Ukraine will be prolonged.

The document states that China had long lagged behind Russia in aviation expertise and made it a priority. It targets military pilots and researchers in the fields of aerodynamics, control systems, and aeroelasticity. It also seeks Russian specialists who worked on the discontinued ekranoplan — a military ground-effect vehicle first deployed by the Soviet Union.

"Priority recruitment is given to former employees of aircraft factories and research institutes, as well as current employees who are dissatisfied with the closure of the ekranoplan development program by the Russian Ministry of Defense or who are experiencing financial difficulties," the document says.

It is unclear whether these recruitment efforts are limited to hiring Russian specialists for Chinese enterprises or extend to recruiting them as spies.

The document also reveals Russia's concerns about how China perceives the war in Ukraine. It tries to supply Beijing's spies with positive information about Russian operations. Russian counterintelligence is tasked with preparing reports for the Kremlin on any potential shifts in Beijing's policy.

The New York Times reported that Western leaders accused China of supplying key weapons components to Russia and attempting to conceal these shipments. An FSB document supports these claims. It states that Beijing proposed creating supply chains to bypass Western sanctions in Moscow. The document also mentions China's offer to participate in producing drones and other unspecified high-tech military equipment. It does not clarify whether these proposals were implemented, although China has supplied drones to Russia.

The FSB memo also hints at China's interest in the Wagner Group — a Russia-backed private military company (PMC) that has supported African governments for years and fought alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

"The Chinese plan to use the experience of Wagner fighters in their own armed forces and private military companies operating in the countries of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America," the directive says.

However, the report does not specify whether the FSB believes China aims to recruit former Wagner mercenaries or simply wants to adopt their tactics.

Moscow is concerned about China's attempts to encroach on Russian territory

The New York Times reports that Russia has long feared a Chinese invasion. Chinese nationalists have rejected 19th-century treaties under which Russia annexed large areas, including present-day Vladivostok.

This issue now raises major concerns as Russia, weakened by war and sanctions, is less able to resist Beijing. According to an FSB report, there are concerns that some Chinese scholars are promoting territorial claims against Russia.

The document notes that China is searching for traces of "ancient Chinese peoples" in the Russian Far East, possibly to influence local opinion in favor of Chinese claims. Before 2023, China published an official map including historical Chinese names of cities and territories within Russia.

The FSB has instructed its officers to expose such "revanchist" activities. It also aims to counter Chinese attempts to utilize Russian scholars and archival resources for research that supports historical claims on border territories.

"Conduct preventative work with respect to Russian citizens involved in the said activities. Restrict entry into our country for foreigners as a measure of influence," the memo states.

China unsettles Russia in Central Asia and the Arctic

An FSB document reveals that concerns over China's expanding influence go beyond Russia's Far East border regions.

During the Soviet era, Central Asian countries were under Moscow's control. According to the FSB, Beijing has reportedly developed a “new strategy” to enhance Chinese soft power in the region.

China has begun implementing this strategy in Uzbekistan. The document offers few details but mentions that the plan includes humanitarian exchanges.

The report also highlights China's interest in a vast Russian Arctic territory and the Northern Sea Route, which runs along Russia's northern coast. Historically, these waters were too icy for reliable shipping, but climate change is expected to increase traffic.

The route shortens delivery times between Asia and Europe. Its development would facilitate China's export of goods.

Russia has traditionally sought tight control over Chinese activities in the Arctic. However, Beijing believes Western sanctions will push Russia to rely on China to maintain its "aging Arctic infrastructure,” according to the FSB report.

Russian intelligence claims Chinese spies are active in the Arctic. The report states that Chinese intelligence agencies utilize universities and mining companies to gather information on Russia's Arctic projects.

Despite vulnerabilities, the FSB report warns that losing Chinese support would be worse. It instructs officers to obtain approval from senior security officials before taking sensitive actions, as noted by The New York Times.

Putin and Xi meeting

On May 8, Xi Jinping met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Xi was in Russia for the May 9 Victory Day parade and other talks.

For more details on the May 8 meeting, read RBC-Ukraine's report.