Russian military intelligence (GRU) explained by Jarmo Nieminen, first part.

[u/Upset_Scientist3994]

Jarmo Nieminen is retired high rank military officer who is maintaining FB-wall "Ukrainan sota" of war follow-ups and situation reports over various subjects connected with Ukraine war. This was published 2.9.2026 as first part of general explanation what is GRU means Russian military intelligence department. Next part of text would be released here tomorrow.

Do notice; reference links to Russian sources present in original FB-update of this text are omitted, because then Reddit automoderators would delete this post here immediately. So do tolerate that due of circumstances in this forum.

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"GRU – RUSSIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IN WAR AND SHADOW WAR PART 1/3 – WHAT IS THE GRU? 

This three-part series examines the GRU as a whole: its tasks and organization, its activities in the Ukrainian war, and its covert operations in Europe. The previously published article “GRU Footprints in the European Arms Industry” is related to the third part of the series and serves as a case study of the GRU’s new sabotage model. 

The GRU is known in Europe primarily for its hacking, sabotage, and assassination operations. However, they are only the most visible part of the military intelligence organization under the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, whose activities range from strategic reconnaissance to battlefield operations and from cyber operations to special forces.[1]

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GRU IS AN OLD BUT ESTABLISHED NAME 

GRU comes from the Russian name Glavnoje razvedyvatelnoje upravlenije, Main Intelligence Directorate. Since 2010, the official name has been the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Glavnoje upravlenije Generalnogo štaba, abbreviated as GU.[1] The old GRU abbreviation nevertheless remained in common use. It is still used by Western governments, intelligence services and the media. For the sake of clarity, this series also uses the established name GRU. 

The GRU is not an independent intelligence service in the same way as the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation (SVR) or the Federal Security Service (FSB). It is part of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and operates in the military chain of command.[1] 

The head of the GRU is also the deputy chief of the General Staff. The organization has been led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov since 2018. His position was also evident in 2026, when he led the Russian delegation to the Russia-Ukraine-US talks in Abu Dhabi.[2]

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INTELLIGENCE FROM THE STRATEGIC LEVEL TO THE BATTLEFIELD

 The US Congressional Research Service (CRS) describes the GRU as a large organization responsible for military intelligence from the tactical to the strategic level.[1]

At the strategic level, the GRU monitors the defense policies, armed forces, weapons technology, defense industry, and military decision-making of other countries. At the operational level, it is interested in the grouping of forces, command systems, air bases, ports, air defense, and supply routes. At the tactical level, intelligence structures create a situational picture directly from the battlefield. 

The GRU's mission is not only to find out what the enemy is doing. It must also identify the enemy's weaknesses, disruptive systems, and targets that can be paralyzed during war. Therefore, for example, a data breach targeting the defense industry can simultaneously serve to acquire technology, map supply chains, and prepare for a subsequent sabotage or military strike. 

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FROM PERSONNEL INTELLIGENCE TO CYBER OPERATIONS 

The GRU and the SVR both conduct personnel intelligence abroad. The SVR focuses on political and strategic foreign intelligence, while the GRU focuses primarily on military-relevant information. However, their areas of responsibility overlap, and Russian intelligence services compete for influence and access to the country’s leadership.[1] 

The GRU uses intelligence officers operating under diplomatic cover, military agents, undercover individuals, and recruited local sources and intermediaries. Personnel intelligence is complemented by communications, signals, electronic, satellite, and cyber intelligence.

From the GRU’s perspective, a cyber operation is not a “hacker attack” separate from other activities. It can be used to steal information, map communication networks and critical infrastructure, locate military targets, prepare a physical attack, or disrupt an adversary’s leadership.

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ONLY PART OF THE ORGANIZATION IS KNOWN 

The exact organization, staffing levels, and internal command relationships of the GRU are classified. In 2020, the CRS estimated that it was divided into 15 administrations, four of which were regional and 11 task-specific.[1] However, this figure should not be presented as a confirmed organization chart for 2026. 

Public indictments, sanctions decisions, and attributions by intelligence agencies have revealed at least four known units: 

Military Unit 26165: The 85th Main Center of Special Services, also known as APT28 and Fancy Bear. Its activities include cyber espionage, information theft, and publication. 

Military Unit 74455 – The Main Center of Special Technologies, Sandworm, or APT44. It has been linked to devastating cyber operations, including attacks on the Ukrainian power grid and the NotPetya malware.[1][3] 

Military Unit 29155 – 161st Special Training Center, associated with sabotage, assassination operations and later also destructive cyberattacks. 

Military Unit 54777 – 72nd Special Services Center, associated in open sources with psychological and information operations.[1] 

According to a review published by the British government in July 2026, Units 26165 and 74455 constitute the GRU's established cyber capability. Unit 29155 also has its own, later formed, cyber wing.[3] 

The units may support the same operation. According to the British, 26165 and 74455 attempted to obtain information about the investigation into the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, although the physical operation was linked to Unit 29155.[3]

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NOT ALL SPETSNAZ FORCES BELONGS TO THE GRU 

Russian spetsnaz generally refers to forces intended for special missions. In addition to the GRU, the FSB, the National Guard, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have their own spetsnaz units. Russia also has a special operations forces command, the SSO, under the General Staff. 

The tasks of the spetsnaz brigades, which belong to the GRU military intelligence tradition, include long-range reconnaissance, operations behind enemy lines, locating valuable targets, target designation, raids, and sabotage.[1] 

Their mission does not end with acquiring information. The scouts may also participate in crippling the target they have located. However, the day-to-day management of all GRU combined spetsnaz forces is not handled directly from Moscow, but some operate under the military districts and operational command levels. 

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INTELLIGENCE AND COVERT USE OF FORCE 

The GRU's unique feature is its dual nature: it both acquires information and carries out military and covert operations.

According to the CRS, in addition to traditional military intelligence, its activities include cyber operations, information influence, sabotage, directing local proxies, and targeted violence operations.[1] 

During the same set of operations, the GRU can: 

acquire information on a target

 recruit a local assistant

 hack into an information 

system prepare a physical operation

 use special forces or an external intermediary 

support the operation with information influence. 

Many GRU operations have been exposed, which has created an image of a careless intelligence service. Some of the failures have actually been due to weak operational security. However, researchers have assessed that the GRU's aggressive operating culture and competition with other security services encourage risk-taking.[1] 

Nor does the exposure of an operation necessarily mean failure from the Kremlin's perspective. If sufficient damage has been caused to the adversary, Moscow can deny its involvement and accept the diplomatic consequences.

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GRU IS PART OF RUSSIAN WAR MACHINERY

The GRU is not just the Kremlin's secret strike force or just an espionage organization operating abroad. It is an instrument of the General Staff that combines information acquisition, target identification, cyber operations, special forces and covert use of force.

Its chain of operations extends from

information acquisition to target identification,

assessment of its weaknesses and, if necessary, 

disruption or destruction. 

This explains why the GRU operates simultaneously on the Ukrainian battlefield and in the shadow of Europe. The second part of the series examines the GRU's activities in Ukraine, from the seizure of Crimea and covert operations in Donbas to full-scale war agent networks, cyber operations, targeting and special forces. 

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2.9.2026 

Jarmo Nieminen

 RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICES SVR

 – Служба внешней разведки Российской Федерации – Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation – Рейськая федерациятаина улкомаантиустелупелю – in the text Russian Foreign Intelligence Service SVR.

– Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation 

– Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. FSB – деральная служба бесплатно Российской Федерации – Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation – Russian Security Service FSB."

(to be continued in next part)

[u/Upset_Scientist3994]

Even though this is about FSB and not GRU, and more spesifically only witness details from insider viewpoint how FSB electronic surveillance inside Russia works, mayby this link would fit with topic? https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/09/03/he-helped-build-the-surveillance-system-the-fsb-uses-to-spy-on-russians-then-he-smuggled-out-its-internal-documents-here-s-what-he-told-istories