Ukraine receives intelligence on Russia's defence industry through the paramilitary corps of the RKK

The Ukrainian organisation said it was actively collecting confidential data on the Russian defence industry through a right-wing paramilitary unit known as the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC).

Here's What We Know

The corps, which is based in Ukraine and consists of Russian citizens, was created in August 2022 to fight Putin's government. It claims to have a significant amount of intelligence, including terms of reference, designs, schemes, and minutes of meetings of the Russian missile programme.

According to the RDC's chief of staff in a selective interview with a Ukrainian channel, the corps actively engages Russian engineers in cooperation by providing them with financial rewards. They claim that some engineers have shared internal details, such as their personal lives and professional activities, which has contributed to insider information about the Russian defence industry.

Many engineers are willing to cooperate with the corps if they are well paid. Russian engineers receive small salaries, and some are willing to sell information on a regular basis when the corps offers them a monthly payment of around $1,000 to $1,500.

Currently, the main target of the RKK's intelligence operations is the state-owned Almaz-Antey corporation, which specialises in the production of air defence systems and missile systems. At the same time, Moscow, according to the RDC, does not provide sufficient protection for the personal data of its engineers, which makes them vulnerable to the corps' intelligence operations.

The RDC notes that Russia's capacity to produce new missiles is limited by sanctions, and they often fix old equipment to save money.

Source: Defence Industry Europe