Western intelligence officials from different countries tell The Associated Press that Russia has increased a campaign of targeted killings of opponents in Europe. The officials say the activity has expanded since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Both outlets report that the assessment is based on information the officials provided to AP, and they describe the killings as aimed at people viewed as opponents of Russia.
The reports characterize the development as a “ramping up” of efforts rather than a newly started campaign, emphasizing that it has intensified over time. They do not name specific victims, locations, or methods in the excerpts provided. They also do not detail any direct evidence presented in the articles beyond the officials’ characterization of responsibility.
Neither outlet attributes the assessment to a single government or intelligence service in the text provided; instead, they describe corroboration across officials from multiple Western countries. The core common point is that Western intelligence reporting links the rise in targeted killings in Europe to Russia and places the escalation after 2022.
