Imagine sitting across the table from a Russian intelligence officer, knowing that every word, pause, and gesture may be calculated.

Sean M. Wiswesser has lived that reality.

On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the International Spy Museum will host a rare deep dive into the mechanics of Russian espionage when Wiswesser—former CIA operations officer and author—takes the stage for a hybrid in‑person and virtual event titled “Russian Espionage and Intelligence Tradecraft, Hybrid War, and Dirty Tricks.”

A Practitioner’s View of the Shadows

Wiswesser is not an academic observer. As a member of the CIA’s expert cadre in the Directorate of Operations, he worked alongside U.S. intelligence agencies and foreign allies to recruit Russian spies and counter Moscow’s intelligence services. That experience gives him a perspective few can claim: insight into how Russian intelligence thinks, adapts, and exploits its adversaries.

His newly released book, Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin’s Secret War, distills decades of that experience into a detailed examination of Russia’s intelligence apparatus and its methods—both old and new.

Maskirovka: More Than a Buzzword

At the heart of Wiswesser’s analysis lies Maskirovka, the Russian doctrine of denial, deception, and manipulation. Often misunderstood in Western discourse, Maskirovka is not simply about camouflage or misinformation. It is a strategic mindset—one that blends espionage, psychological pressure, covert action, and influence operations into a seamless whole.

According to Wiswesser, this mindset underpins everything from traditional spycraft to modern hybrid warfare. It explains why Russian intelligence activities often appear contradictory or opaque—and why they remain so difficult to counter.

SVR, GRU, and FSB: Three Services, One Strategy

During the event, Wiswesser will be interviewed by Spy Museum Historian Dr. Mark R. Jacobson, guiding audiences through the distinct—but coordinated—roles of Russia’s three main intelligence services:

• SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service), focused on overseas political and strategic intelligence
• GRU, Russia’s military intelligence arm, long associated with aggressive covert operations
• FSB, the domestic security service with expanding influence beyond Russia’s borders

Drawing on historical cases and firsthand accounts, the discussion will explore tactics ranging from “street work” and honeytraps to assassinations and covert influence operations—alongside the services’ roles in the Russo‑Ukraine War.

Why This Matters Now

This is not a Cold War nostalgia tour.

Russia’s intelligence services remain central actors in today’s security environment, operating across physical, cyber, and informational domains. From influence campaigns to clandestine operations, their activities shape geopolitical outcomes far beyond Russia’s borders.

Wiswesser’s work challenges audiences to understand these methods not as isolated incidents, but as components of a coherent strategy—one designed to exploit open societies, ambiguity, and institutional seams.

A Rare Public Conversation

Events like this are uncommon precisely because practitioners rarely speak publicly in detail about tradecraft. The Spy Museum’s hybrid format—open to both in‑person and virtual audiences—offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with someone who has operated inside this world.

Following the conversation, Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks will be available for sale and signing, extending the discussion beyond the evening itself.

Peering Behind the Curtain

For students of intelligence, security professionals, or anyone seeking to understand the mechanics of modern hybrid conflict, the April 30 event promises more than anecdotes.

It offers a framework for recognizing deception as it unfolds—and for understanding why, in Wiswesser’s words, guessing what Russian intelligence will do next is never just a theoretical exercise.

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