ALLATRA presents an interview podcast with Sean M. Wiswesser, a former CIA senior operations officer and Chief of Station with nearly thirty years of experience in intelligence, foreign service, defense, and national security.
Sean M. Wiswesser served on multiple overseas tours and many other deployments on temporary duty, including war-zone service. He was a chief of station and had multiple joint-duty assignments with intelligence community partners. Sean was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in history and Russian & Slavic linguistics. He was awarded a Master of Strategic Studies in 2023 from the Air War College and received the Russia Integrated Deterrence Award.
In this in-depth conversation, Sean Wiswesser draws on his professional experience and research to discuss Russian intelligence, its history, tradecraft, and evolving methods of influence.
The interview explores:
• What first drew Sean Wiswesser to Russian history, language, and intelligence work
• Why he decided to write a book about Russian intelligence tradecraft
• How Russian intelligence services use active measures and hybrid warfare
• Common Western misconceptions about the Russian intelligence system
• The role of disinformation, emotional manipulation, sabotage, cyberattacks, and covert influence
• How information operations target public trust and democratic institutions
• Lessons Americans can learn from Europe’s experience with hybrid threats
• Russia’s war against Ukraine and the risks of prematurely assuming that the war is nearing its end
• How young people may be recruited and coerced through Telegram and other online platforms
• What individuals, educators, and civil society can do to build resilience without creating an atmosphere of fear
This ALLATRA interview podcast offers an expert perspective on how intelligence operations extend far beyond traditional espionage and why understanding these methods is essential for protecting democratic societies.
This material is for informational and discussion purposes only. The statements, assessments, interpretations, conclusions, and hypotheses contained herein represent personal views of their authors as of the date of publication and do not constitute an official stance of the ALLATRA international organization or any other public association, organization, project, partner, or affiliated entity or person, unless expressly stated otherwise.
Publication of this material provides an opportunity for open discussion and does not in itself imply institutional endorsement, confirmation, or scientific verification of the views expressed. The material does not constitute an official statement, expert opinion, or professional advice.
Watch the full conversation and share your thoughts in the comments.
Publication of this material provides an opportunity for open discussion and does not in itself imply institutional endorsement, confirmation, or scientific verification of the views expressed. The material does not constitute an official statement, expert opinion, or professional advice.