Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s military Intelligence, the GRU, has dramatically stepped up its activities across Europe — from assassinations and acts of sabotage to cyberattacks and “psychological operations.” Just a few years ago, the GRU depended heavily on operatives working in Europe under false identities. Today, because of the efforts of investigative journalists and Western security services, nearly all of them have been compromised or declared persona non grata. Nevertheless, many of these burned assets continue to play an active role in Moscow’s hybrid war against the West — only now, they do so from within the sanctuary of Russian territory. This is the curious story of one such operative.