The 11 people accused of spying for Russia in 2010 were all working “deep cover” assignments in the United States -this much we know. But how exactly they employed certain means and methods in what they did has largely been kept secret, until now that is!
What follows is a sworn statements of the facts from Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in this case:
“The FBI has conducted a muti-year investigation of a network of United States based agents of the foreign intelligence organ of the Russian Federation (the “SVR”).
The targets of the investigation include covert SVR agents who assumed false identities and who are living here in the United States on long term “deep cover” assignments. These Russian secret agents work to hide all connections between themselves and Russia, even as they act at the direction and under the control of the SVR.
These secret agents are typically called: “illegals”. Illegals of the SVR generally receive extensive training before coming to the United States. Thus training has typically focused on, among other things, foreign languages, agent to agent communications, including the use of brush passes, short wave radio operation and invisible writing: the use of codes and cyphers, including the use of encrypted Morse code messages: the creation and use of cover profession: counter surveillance and measures: concealment and destruction of equipment and material used in connection with their work as agents, and their work as agents, and the avoidance of any detection during their work as agents.
Upon completion of their training Russian illegal agents are generally provided with new- false-identities; an illegals false identity is referred to as his legend. The cornerstone of the illegals “legend” and false documents. These false documents concern , among other things the identity and citizenship of the illegal.
Through the use of fraudulent documents, illegals assume identites as citizens or legal residents of the countries to which they are deployed, including the United States.
Illegals will sometimes pursue degrees at target universities, obtain employment and join relevant professional associations; these activities deepen an illegals legend.
Illegals often act in pairs, being placed together by Moscow central while in Russia, so that they may live together and work together in a host country, under the guise of a married couple.
Illegals who are placed together and co habit in the country to which they are assigned will often have children together; this further deepens and illegals legend.
The FBI investigation has revealed that a network of illegals is now living and operating in the United States, in the service of one primary, long term goal: to become sufficiently ‘Americanized’ such that they can successfully recruit sources who are in , or are able to infiltrate, the United States policy making circles.”
For more information see: http://vault.fbi.gov/ghost-stories-russian-foreign-intelligence-service-illegals/documents