Why western universities are a valuable source for Russia’s covert operations

In mid-January, Estonian security services apprehended Viacheslav Morozov, professor of international political theory at the University of Tartu, the second oldest university in the Baltics. Morozov now stands accused of espionage on behalf of the Russian Federation against the Republic of Estonia and is currently in custody pending investigation.

The public response to the announcement ranged from cold pragmatism to awe and shock. Many expressed bewilderment, questioning how the university could be a source of interest to foreign intelligence services. This doubt was particularly pronounced in western academic circles.

Without prejudice to the Morozov case, Kristjan Vassil aims to demonstrate in an article published in Science Business why western universities are highly valuable sources of intelligence for Russia, amid information warfare across NATO countries.