Of the various Russian intelligence agencies, there is an interesting one—especially for readers of the Charlemagne Files—that is named by a number. It is part of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the military intelligence agency which, despite a name change, is still known as the GRU.
Unit 29155 of that organization handles sabotage, assassination, and deception operations against Western countries.
Among the operations this unit can take credit for are the attempted assassination by Novichok poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in 2018 and the 2014 ammunition depot explosion in the Czech Republic.
These guys are in the news again today, this time for a disinformation op they are running against us. Propaganda is an essential tactic in the hybrid war Russia is conducting against the West. (More on hybrid warfare later.)
The Washington Post reports that Unit 29155 is paying an American, John Mark Dougan, to create a series of AI-generated fake videos targeting Democratic candidates. One of Dougan's most popular social media posts is a recent viral deep-fake video targeting vice presidential candidate Tim Walz. It is only one of many well-executed deceptions created by Dougan and financed by Russia to deceive the American public.
The man giving the benefit of his cultural expertise to a unit of Russian spooks is a Marine Corps veteran and former Palm Beach County sheriff who fled to Russia after leaving the US under a cloud of accusations that resulted in more than ten internal investigations and a judgment for damages in a civil suit.
Besides his GRU income, Dougan ironically is also paid by a Russian with a homophonic name: Alexander Dugin. This Dugin is a political philosopher popular among white supremacists and other right wing extremists. He advocates a Eurasian empire in which Russia re-establishes hegemony from Vladivostok to Europe, a popular item on the Kremlin's to-do list.
The Washington Post reviewed 150 documents to follow the money. Of course, when there is an intelligence connection, money speaks volumes. The creation of fake news to benefit the candidate who actually popularized the term is yet another fascinating intel op. How effective it will be in the end remains to be seen. Word is, Dougan is now busy creating more deep fakes specifically to cast doubt on the election count.
Peaceful transfer of power is a strength we have that is historically absent in Russia. They'd like to see us lose it. Even if their campaign enters history labelled attempted, lots of D-words will result: disinformation, destabilization, death. It doesn't have to be true or entirely successful in order to produce all three outcomes.
The philosophical underpinning of his Eurasian ambition was summed up succinctly by Alexander Dugin in 2014 prior to the Russian land grab in Ukraine: "I think kill, kill and kill. No more talk anymore."
Catherine Belton, "American creating deepfakes targeting Harris works with Russian intel, documents show." The Washington Post, October 23, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/23/dougan-russian-disinformation-harris/
For more on peaceful transfer of power see Timothy Snyder, The Road to Unfreedom, New York, Tim Duggan Books, 2018.
Other sources: Background information can be found in Wikipedia and
other online sources using search terms GRU, Alexander Dugin, Unit
29155. Look for a future blog post about vetting online
sources.
The fiction I write is informed and supported by the non-fiction I read. For fans of The Charlemagne Files who would like to delve into the real world of intelligence, I've put together a brief bibliography of some of the works that inform my understanding of the field.
Many of these books deal with old information which has long been unclassified. The concepts and nature of intelligence work run throughout history, however, and apply to any organization in the business of finding and keeping secrets about the intentions of adversaries.
Because the members of Charlemagne consider themselves warriors against the slaughter of innocents, I include a few books dealing with that topic as well as the human costs borne by warriors. It is an eclectic list and in no particular order. I have read most of them, but a couple are still in my TBR pile.
Here is the list, some of which can be found free online, all of which can be checked out of a library—a practice I fully endorse.
By All Means Available, Memoirs of a life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy, by Michael G. Vickers, © 2023, Michael G. Vickers
Story of a Secret State, by Jan Karski, © 1944, Jan Karski
The Captive Mind, by Czeslaw Milosz, © 1951, 1953, Czeslaw Milosz
Memoirs of a British Agent, by R.H. Bruce Lockhart, © 1932, R.N. Bruce Lockhart
The Sword and the Shield, The Mitrokhin Arhive and the Secret History of the KGB, by Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, © 1999, Christopher Andrew
The Assault on Intelligence, American National Security in an Age of Lies, by Michael V. Harden, © 2018, Michael V. Hayden
The Vory, Russia's Super Mafia, by Mark Galeotti, © 2018, Mark Galeotti
The Unit, My Life Fighting Terrorists as One of American's Most Secret Military Operatives, by Adam Gamal with Kelly Kennedy, © 2024, Adam Gamal
Spetsnaz, The Inside Story of the Soviet Special Forces, by Victor Suvorov, © 1987, Victor Suvorov
The Secret World, A History of Intelligence, by Christopher Andrew, © 2018, Christopher Andrew
The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt, © 1951
The Road to Unfreedom, Russian, Europe, America, by Timothy Snyder, © 2018, Timothy Snyder
Odysseus in America, Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming, by Jonathan Shay, M.D., Ph.D., © 2002, Jonathan Shay
Seven Pillars of Wisdom, a triumph, by T.E. Lawrence, © 1926, 1935, Doublday, Doran & Company, Inc.
SAMPLE
“I’ve
never known Mack to make a threat he was not prepared to carry
out,” I said carefully. “He doesn’t bluff.”
Frank Cardova provides logistic support for a highly effective team of deadly operatives known as Charlemagne, the premier freelance specialist team used by Western governments for black operations conducted without fingerprints. Mack, the team’s knife-wielding leader, and his son Charlie arrive on Frank’s doorstep bringing chaos, terror, and violence with them.
The last thing Frank ever wants to see is Louis, the volatile marksman of the team, anywhere near his home, let alone sitting at the kitchen table drinking a martini meant for him and flirting with his wife. For Frank, the men of Charlemagne have become the ultimate houseguests from hell.
Mack offers Frank’s subordinate, Steve Donovan, a chance to join the team after the fallout of a recent disaster puts his young family at risk. As Frank watches Steve turn into a killer and his wife and daughter discover what his thirty-year career has been all about, he helps the team save the lives of Steve’s family while dreading the danger to his own.
Can Frank trust anyone in his immediate
circle?
Brevet Wedge is the third novel in K.A. Bachus’s fast-paced Charlemagne Files series chronicling the lives of a team of deadly Cold War intelligence operatives over three decades..
For a sample of the book, press the red button labeled 'Show Biblet' under the cover photo.
"The life of a spy is filled with such fear and unrest, that it would shake even the strongest of people; and it can be experienced first hand in book 3 of the Charlemagne Files series, Brevet Wedge by K.A. Bachus.
Leo had finally been able to find some normalcy in his life as of late; able to calm things down. However, this feeling doesn’t last long. One day, he comes home and finds two men in a car, parked in front of his house. Upon entering he finds two more men inside his house; the Frenchman Lous and his associate Steve. Before he knows it, he is being pulled into a mission that he doesn’t want to be a part of, with men he doesn’t fully trust.
Aer a briefing in a nearby safehouse, Leo is given his assignment and the trio are off, in Leo’s worn down old car, to find the target. With every moment that Leo progresses in his new mission, a looming sense of danger grows stronger as he fears that his associates will in turn kill him too.
Brevet Wedge was a brilliant combination of suspense, mystery, and action. Author K.A. Bachus pulls you into an amazing world as you watch the intricate plot unfold before you. You will find yourself on the edge of your seat, as you struggle to decide who can be trusted, and who cannot.
Brevet Wedge is brilliant, with likable characters and a plot that will leave you wanting more!" - The Lost Chapter, LLC
"An action-packed adventure story with expertly woven sub-plots. Plenty of drama and tension for the protagonist and a life-or-death battle for his team. This is an easy, light read that will keep you turning pages". -- L. Van Onselen, UK