Magda Long

Thanks, Rory! As you know, I’ve been working on this for a while, so I am very excited about this publication with the @thecipherbrief.bsky.social Thanks for posting @sandbaggerone.bsky.social!!

When States Go Mob: The Criminalization of Modern Statecraft OPINION — In the fall of 2021, an FBI informant received a chilling offer: $300,000 to assassinate former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton. The would-be hitman posed as a drug cartel enforce...

💥Very excited to report that @thecipherbrief.bsky.social ‬ published my article "When States Go Mob"! #OrganizedCrime networks are force multipliers and a structural scaffolding in the #grayzone reshaping the global security environment. Pse. have a look!👇 www.thecipherbrief.com/gray-zone-cr...

I hear you! I feel the same, and I am not even British :) - but I am not so surprised you received these glowing endorsements! As I mentioned previously, your writing style is fantastic! I am a big fan. Way to go, Rory!!👏

Another writer and broadcaster just offered “Fakers” is “Monty Python meets Le Carré” … exactly what I was going for! Absolutely buzzing 😀

That's amazing, Rory!! Super excited for you!! Congratulations. 🎉👑💥Can’t wait to read it!

Russian sabotage attacks surged across Europe in 2024 This year’s apparent lull may be the calm before another storm

I wrote this week on a new IISS report tracking suspected Russian sabotage in Europe. It shows a quadrupling in incidents between 2023 & 2024, as well as a more recent lull. That could indicate a change in Russia's calculus—or just a temporary pause.
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...

A digital ménage à trois | 4 | Strategic leaks, propaganda and journal This chapter introduces readers to scholarly and popular debates regarding strategic leaking, propaganda and journalistic reporting. It focuses on political,

NOW OPEN ACCESS: Briant, Emma L. & Wanlass, A. (2018). "A Ménage à Trois for the Digital Age: Strategic Leaks, Propaganda and Journalism," in Corneliu Bjola & James Pamment. Countering Online Propaganda and Vioent Extremism: The Dark Side of Digital Diplomacy. www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...

Applied Security and Strategy MA | Postgraduate Taught | University of Exeter

Excited to support MA in Applied Security & Strategy (MStrat) @exeter.ac.uk Strategy and Security Institute geared twrds professionals in defence, diplomacy, intelligence & policy to sharpen their strategic thinking & decision-making skills. Sep. 2025 apps open - 🔗 www.exeter.ac.uk/study/postgr...

PhD students in War Studies The Department of War Studies conducts research and education in the subject of War Studies. The department consists of about 160 employees and has about 1000 students and participants in commissioned

Come do a PhD at @forsvarshogskolan.bsky.social. You could be supervised by some of my fantastic colleagues while working in a vibrant, pluralistic & highly engaged research environment.

These positions are fully salaried & come with a research budget of 30k SEK a year fhs.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

Hidden Bear: The GRU hackers of Russia’s most notorious kill squad Russian GRU Unit 29155 is best known for its long list of murder and sabotage ops, which include the Salisbury poisonings in England, arms depot explosions in Czechia, and an attempted coup d’etat in ...

‼️ Hidden Bear: The GRU hackers of Russia's most notorious kill squad

As The Insider discovered, Unit 29155, the Kremlin’s most notorious black ops squad, also fielded a team of hackers that tried to destabilize Ukraine before Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Try us here coldwarconversations.com

#coldwarhistory #oralhistory #vivid #visceral #podcast

Postdoc with a focus on narrative geopolitics Description The postdoctoral position is part of the interdisciplinary research environment on narrative geopolitics, established with funding from the Swedish Armed Forces. The role involves interdis

The Swedish Defence University advertises a postdoc focused on ”narrative geopolitics” - or how widespread and emotionally charged narratives influence international security, great power relations, and geostrategic rivalry. Deadline August 31:
fhs.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

Sweden probes suspected spy linked to security adviser resignation The suspect under investigation has reportedly served as a senior Swedish diplomat and been stationed at several embassies around the world. #EuropeNews

Sweden probes suspected spy reportedly linked to resignation of security adviser

www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...

Women in intelligence: the hidden history of two world wars; Her secret service: the forgotten women of British intelligence Published in Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (Ahead of Print, 2025)

We delighted to share that our latest book review has been published! Ashleigh Percival-Borley reviews two recent significant volumes on the history of women in British wartime intelligence: Helen Fry's Women in Intelligence and Claire Hubbard-Hall's Her Secret Service. ➡️ doi.org/10.1080/1833...

The Kennedy Assassination Files, India, and New Insights into…

🚨Publication alert!🚨For a fascinating insight into the CIA's work in India, uncovered as part of the release of the Kennedy assassination files, take a look at our latest Insights piece by @paulmcgarr.bsky.social:
kcsi.uk/kcsi-insight...

Online event

Professor Christopher Andrew, ‘MI5 and 10 Downing Street: the first 100 years’ by Cambridge Intelligence Seminar (on 2025-05-07)

https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/event-series/intelligence

UK police arrest several Iranian men over alleged attack plot British counterterrorism officers have arrested several Iranian men over an alleged plot to attack an unspecified target in London.

"British counterterrorism officers arrested several Iranian men over an alleged plot to attack an unspecified target in London, the Metropolitan Police force said Sunday".

apnews.com/article/uk-i...

📢 Exciting News! My book KGB LITERATI: SPY FICTION & STATE SECURITY IN THE SOVIET UNION is now available for pre-order! 🎉

Grab your copy here 👉 www.amazon.com/KGB-Literati...

#spies #writers #KGB #booklaunch #newrelease #preordernow @socintelhist.bsky.social

Congratulations, Filip!!!

Haha great minds, eh?!

We are very happy you decided to join us on this adventure, @paulmcgarr.bsky.social And you're absolutely right, your chapter on #covertaction in #India is a page-turner!

I’m really proud of this. We’re breaking down the US-centric approach of “covert action” to explore the phenomenon of unacknowledged interference in international relations.

The CIA dominates the history books; Russia today’s headlines… but lots of states, past and present, have been up to it

Will do! Thank you!

Hey, Jack, yes, of course! Thanks. Your audience would definitely be interested in this one!

We’ll tell you more about it closer to December, but we are very excited and grateful to everyone who worked with us on this project!

@rorycormac.bsky.social @dvanp.bsky.social @markstout.bsky.social Gen Lester and I are super grateful to our amazing group of contributors working with us on this project - 20 substantive chapters!! We learned so much about #covertaction outside of the anglosphere! Coming out in
December 🎄🎉

The Age of Forever Wars Why military strategy no longer delivers victory.

“One of the great allures of military power is that it promises to bring conflicts to a quick and decisive conclusion. In practice, it rarely does.” A superb essay from @ldfreedman.bsky.social
www.foreignaffairs.com/age-forever-...

Putin’s Spies for Hire: What the U.K.’s Biggest Espionage Trial Revealed about Kremlin Tactics in Wartime Europe - War on the Rocks In early 2023, in the sleepy English seaside town of Great Yarmouth, a covert operation was quietly revving into gear. Second-hand Chryslers and a

📑 My latest for @warontherocks.bsky.social:

#BulgarianSpies #JanMarsalek #OldBailey #WarInUkraine #FSB #GRU

The largest spy trial in UK history revealed an unusual espionage network & how Moscow's covert ops escalated shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

👉 shorturl.at/ymu4U