The author of “Slaughterhouse-Five,” a World War Two combat veteran, saw Nazis up close as a German POW. Retrospective review by Peter Eisner for SpyTalk.

One time, Yuri was given the mission of finding out everything he could about an electronics factory in Kyiv, a secretive place that produced equipment for the Soviet military. First, he called in at the recruitment department saying he wanted a job, but was swiftly told there were no vacancies. So he waited outside the gates looking for women who might work as secretaries in the plant and, when he spotted one, followed her home on the tram. Having located her address, the next day he returned and waited in the building’s courtyard. When she appeared, he struck up a conversation with her, pretending he was looking for an apartment in the area. After some small talk, he invited her to the cinema. They had a pleasant date, and he invited her out again, to the theater. Each time, they chatted for hours. She opened up to him about her difficult home life and her dreams of getting married, and they started to bond. Yuri managed to slip plenty of apparently casual questions about her work at the factory into their conversation. After the fourth date, he told her he had to go on a trip to another city and would contact her on his return. He wrote up his report, largely based on her information about the inner workings of the factory. She never heard from him again.

Yuri also learned to write personality reports on potential targets. The goal was not recruitment, but to engage in seemingly innocent friendly chatter, sounding out the subject’s political views, personal circumstances, and quirks. This could then be used in a recruitment pitch by a different agent. Was the person having marital problems? Did they feel overlooked or undervalued at the workplace? Were they vain and susceptible to flattery, or perhaps lonely and looking for love? Yuri spent long hours painting psychological portraits of different kinds of people for the trainers, who taught him how to spot vulnerabilities in a target

On September 15, 2018, a young woman boarded a flight from Naples to Moscow and never returned. Known as Maria Adela Kuhfeldt Rivera—a Peruvian jewelry designer and socialite—she vanished without saying goodbye to anyone. The only thing she took with her was a black cat named Luisa. And it was precisely because of that cat—and a Tinder profile—that investigators found her years later living in Russia as a GRU spy.

In this 2022 Bellingcat article, we explain how Maria Adela spent over a decade infiltrating NATO social circles in Naples while posing as a Peruvian jeweler; how her cat’s microchip linked her to her true Russian identity; and how investigator Christo Grozev created a fake Tinder profile and spent three days analyzing profiles in Moscow until he found the spy who had vanished from Italy.

Edouard Threatens Texas Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall Tuesday near the Texas-Louisiana border, potentially approaching hurricane strength beforehand.

• Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings, Hurricane Watches, and Storm Surge Warnings are in effect.
• Storm surge up to 1.5 m (5 ft) is possible between High Island and the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line.
• Rainfall of 75–150 mm (3–6 in), with localized totals above 200 mm (8 in), could cause flooding across Southeast Texas.
• Texas activated emergency resources, several Houston-area school districts closed schools, and utilities positioned crews for potential outages.

Russia’s G20 Return Divides Allies

Russia’s in-person return to a U.S.-hosted G20 finance meeting exposed renewed friction between Washington and European allies over Ukraine policy.

• Several European finance leaders objected to Moscow being treated as a normal participant.
• Germany warned the optics could complicate sanctions coordination.
• Tensions increased after the U.S. Treasury restricted access for several reporters whose press privileges had been revoked.
• The controversy risks overshadowing U.S. priorities on debt, economic growth, AI investment, and trade imbalances with China.

Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv Infrastructure

Russian strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 12 people and damaged railway, residential, and other civilian infrastructure.

• Six rail workers were killed at a Ukrzaliznytsia depot.
• Russia said it targeted military-industrial and energy sites, while Ukraine reported civilian damage and fires across Kyiv.
• The deaths of rail workers point to continued pressure on transport networks supporting civilian movement and national logistics.
• The attack followed another deadly depot strike days earlier, suggesting sustained risk to critical infrastructure around the capital.

Cartel Bombings Escalate in Mexico

Cartel-linked explosive attacks are increasing in Mexico following a suspected vehicle bombing outside police headquarters in Zacatecas.

• At least 11 people were injured and dozens of buildings were damaged.
• State officials said the attack may have been retaliation for an arrest.
• Authorities cited a broader shift toward vehicle bombs, drone-borne explosives, and landmines.
• The trend raises risks to police sites, nearby communities, and business operations in areas with significant cartel activity.

Arson Targets European Drone Factories

Polish prosecutors opened a sabotage and terrorism probe after a fire was deliberately set at a WB Electronics drone factory.

• The suspected attack came six days after Slovak police disrupted an alleged arson plot against Ukrainian drone maker Skyeton.
• Both incidents targeted defense firms linked to unmanned systems.
• The cases come as European states continue supporting Ukraine and expanding military drone capacity.
• Available evidence remains limited, but the timing and use of incendiary attacks could increase pressure for tighter site security and counterintelligence coordination.

Bipartisan authorship improves near-term prospects for discrete fixes like Section 702 reauthorization, but the report's own finding that Congress ignored the original Commission's structural reforms for two decades undercuts confidence the harder recommendations will advance.

It looks like the public version of this has been stripped from the internet, which is kind of crazy. Anyone know where I can find it? https://archive.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/National_Intelligence_Strategy_2023.pdf

Following that link takes me to a "not found" page. Also, like I know there have been a lot of changes at ODNI, but why can't I find this info on it's page anymore.

Major earthquakes, close elections, and a looming fuel crisis has put several countries across Latin America at greater risk of popular uprisings. Recent history suggests protests could spread quickly, even if different causes prompt unrest. 

Discontent has a way of ignoring borders. 

As citizens in one country take to the streets in frustration with their political climate or the standard of living, their neighbors soon take note, and question  the efforts of their own leaders.

• Welcome to The Debrief, from the editors at Factal. Each month, we reflect upon an impactful yet underreported story that has significant regional or global implications. We’ll examine how the story has progressed and how Factal’s coverage has shifted to ensure we are always supplying our members with the most up-to-date, accurate, factual reporting.
• If you like what you’re reading, sign up to receive The Debrief in your inbox on the first of every month here.

That much was clear in late 2019, as demonstrations cascaded across South America over the course of several months, sweeping through several nations while lacking a singular common cause. Bolivians marched over allegations of electoral fraud. Chileans were sparked by a proposed subway fare hike in Santiago. The people of Ecuador sought (and ultimately achieved) the return of fuel subsidies following cuts. Colombians protested rumored pension cuts, with national strikes that became broader anti-government protests. 

Seven years later, a series of devastating earthquakes and a pair of razor-thin presidential elections have again raised the specter of possible unrest as governments struggle to meet the needs of their populations.

“There is a link between all these Latin American countries that can see what is going on in each other and kind of inspire them to do the same,” said Factal Senior Editor Jeff Landset.

Recovery work continues across northwestern and central Venezuela after two strong earthquakes west of Caracas in June left more than 6,500 people dead, but progress has been slow as the country continues to grapple with the fallout of years of political instability, punctuated by the U.S.-led operation in the opening days of January to oust Nicolás Maduro. That instability was on full display in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, when a widely-shared video showed top government minister Diosdado Cabello turning away an American rescue worker attempting to reach the rubble of a collapsed building.

Recent research has shown just how important a robust, effective response is to quelling discord. A study released in April from the Society for Risk Analysis found a 69 percent spike in public protests across Latin America in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, highlighting the need for the quick, efficient distribution of resources to the most heavily impacted areas. 

“[The earthquakes] magnified the vulnerability of the people who were living in those countries at that time,” Landset said.

A new government has gotten higher marks in neighboring Colombia in the wake of a 7.4 magnitude tremor in August that killed at least 330 people and injured more than 4,500 others. That disaster followed a hotly-contested vote that saw conservative Abelardo de la Espriella notch the smallest-ever victory for a presidential election in that country, defeating leftist Senator Iván Cepeda by just over 250,000 votes out of 26 million cast. That  result did mark a return to form for Colombia, which had consistently opted for conservative governments until the election of Gustavo Petro as the nation’s first left-wing president in 2022.

The stakes are high for Espriella in the wake of the quake, with concerns the disaster could worsen existing problems the country has faced. According to the United Nations’ World Food Programme, nearly seven million people were experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity, including close to one-in-three people in the hardest hit Chocó and Valle del Cauca areas. 

While just under a percentage point separated the presidential candidates in Colombia, an even closer race played out in neighboring Peru in June. A sharply divided electorate has swung back and forth between conservative and leftists governments before electing right-winger Keiko Fujimori as its ninth president in the last 10 years in a race that was decided by approximately 50,000 votes.

“A lot of the turmoil and instability in that country can be linked back to just how 50-50 people are [about] whether or not they should have a left-leaning or right-leaning president,” Landset said. 

For now at least, the country will once again be guided by conservatives, joining the rightward shift that has also seen conservatives elected in Chile, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia.

The ongoing disaster responses will go a long way toward determining how residents respond to their new governments, but it’s far from the only factor that will dictate their satisfaction. 

As the war in Iran continues to put pressure on energy markets, a key flashpoint in South America in the coming weeks may turn out to be fuel subsidies. 

“A lot of the protests that we saw earlier this year basically came down to the cost of living,” Landset said. “If people get to a point where fuel prices are astronomical or out of touch, that could lead to people taking to the streets.”

And if protests break out in one place, it may encourage others to follow. 

“I think that if some of these countries can see, especially now that there’s social media and the videos that are coming from different countries are easily accessible on their feeds, they can ask themselves, ‘Hey, why aren’t we protesting just like the people in Peru or Chile or Colombia?’” Landset said. 

Written by Joe Veyera. Edited by Jillian Stampher.

Further reading:

• Review Factal’s coverage of Venezuela’s recent earthquakes on our topic page (members link)
• Watch this episode of The Debate from France 24 on the aftermath of the Venezuelan earthquakes and what could come next.
• Read Encyclopedia Brittanica’s breakdown of Peru’s recent presidential history.
• Revisit this CNN analysis from 2019 on the factors that led to unrest across Latin America at that time. 

Top photo: U.S. personal with Miami-Dade Urban Search and Rescue team walk the disaster zone in La Guaira, Venezuela on June 28, 2026, after two strong earthquakes struck west of Caracas.  (Photo/ U.S. Marine Corps, LCpl Allison White)

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Hey all! I am new to the intel world. I did 8 years in patrol as a LEO switched over to my states fusion center and became analyst. I was in the watch center, life happened ended up moving back to my home state and now work corporate security.

I have a fundamental Intel analyst training (FIAT) course under my belt but I still feel like I haven’t received proper guidance or training.

As for corporate side, I mostly do risk and threat assessments for countries where our offices are located and our C-Suite guys are traveling. It’s for the security staff. I monitor OSINT which is easy for me to navigate actual threats vs just ranting about our company which I’m proficient with this. But I feel stuck here. I want to write more reports, do more risk analysis and assessments and be proactive. But I have no idea how to write it, what to look for in the assessment so I come here to ask various different questions hoping you all can help.

1) we have different programs that have A.I integration. I normally type things like “Please provide a physical security risk assessment for Canada. Include protests, demonstrations, marches, unrest, physical security concerns”

What are better ways to ask the AI? I want to look for crime (is it high crime?), is there an ongoing war amongst gang members? Cartel? How about terroristic attacks? Are they frequent? Low risk? And protests demonstrations etc…

2) How do you write this? I usually have executive summary, security recommendations (which feel repetitive like it’s generic advise)

3) how do you do searches for executive staff? For example, if my CEO is in the news cause he said something stupid or made a bad business deal and people don’t like him what are some good ways to word the searches? Or good catch alls?

4) conferences. My company hosts very large conferences that have sometimes 4 pages worth of executives and VIP’s along with their companies. Those companies are not well liked amongst the general public. So how would you guys do these searches? This can kind of apply to 3 as well but any tips and advice for mass searches.

5) Lastly, I’m not the best with Boolean, but I am familiar. I’m mostly looking for good training on how to do Boolean searches, I primarily use Google.

My MD is a dickhead and won’t send us to training (just two of us) so preferably free OR paid but online at my own time would be nice if you have suggestions. Thanks again!