facebook
linkedin
twitter
About Us
  • BFSI
  • Energy
  • Infocom
  • Mining
  • Venture
  • Industry
  • Travel
  • Civic
  • Food, Health, Ag
  • Real Estate
  • Responsibility
  • Economy
  • Law & Justice
  • Interview
  • Analysis

Spy Scandal Deepens, Colombian Colonel Targeted By Russian Spymaster

Posted On April 6, 2022
By : Loren Moss
Comment: 0
Tag: active measures, Afghanistan, alexander belousov, alexander paristov, armando rodriguez jiménez, born identity, chechnya, china, colombia, colombiamar, colonel armando rodriguez jiménez, colonel vladimir born, corferias, counterintelligence, ct+i, expodefensa, f-air, FSB, Georgia, gringos, Iván Duque, j2, london calling, operación sebastián, operation sebastian, parque 93, rionegro, russia, russian embassy, sergei vagin, sigint, signals intelligence, ukraine, venezuela, vladimir born, vladimir putin

Recent developments in Colombia show that Ukraine and Georgia aren’t the only country novo-tsar Vladimir Putin is menacing. Last month’s arrest of alleged Russian Spy Sergei Vagin by Colombian CTI investigative police, accused of running a $146 million USD “active measures” (destabilization) operation comes not long after Russian spies Alexander Paristov and Alexander Belousov were expelled from Colombia in 2020.

Now, an investigation by Colombia’s attorney general shows the situation is much worse than a Russian “illegal” (Sergei Vagin) paying off street thugs and vandals. According to documents leaked to Blu Radio by the Colombian attorney general’s office, an internal counterintelligence investigation has identified a Russian Colonel, credentialed as a senior joint naval and air military attaché affiliated with the “Russian Intelligence And Counterintelligence department of General Command J2,” (further referred to as “J2”) who sought to compromise Colombian Colonel Armando Rodríguez Jiménez by paying him an apartment and 200 million pesos (approximately $54,000 USD) in exchange for becoming a Russian agent and passing on Colombian, US and NATO secrets.

“The Born Identity?” — Colombian CTI documents identify “J2” as Russian Colonel Vladimir Born, appointed military attaché in 2018

“In our territory, all diplomats who come to strengthen ties are welcome, but we will also be clear, relentless and forceful with those who intend, in the exercise of diplomatic functions, to come to our country to try to interfere in the healthy development of our Colombian institutions,” said Colombian President Ivan Duque when asked last year about emerging Russian espionage allegations.

Colombia holds several military industrial events, usually every two years. F-AIR is held in Rionegro and focuses on military and civilian aviation. Colombiamar focuses on the naval sector, and the biggest event, Expodefensa is Colombia’s biggest military expo. The last one, held in 2021 saw 228 exhibitors from 25 countries, and 62 foreign delegations from 24 different countries. Customarily, the military attachés from the Russian Embassy (pictured above) would receive invitations.

In 2019, Colonel Rodriguez was responsible for coordinating the attendance of foreign military attachés assigned to Colombia, including J2. They originally met that year at Bogotá’s Corferias convention and meeting center, but then had lunch almost a year later at a British themed restaurant called “London Calling,” facing Bogotá’s “Parque 93,” the capital city’s epicenter of expatriate residential and social life.

According to the testimony provided by Colonel Rodriguez to Colombian counterintelligence prosecutors, after small talk about personal and family life, J2 got down to business, and began by asking for details on US military activities.

J2: “Are there US troops here?”

Rodriguez: “No, not in Colombia, there can’t be armed troops, they can’t even be in transit.”

J2: “So what are they doing here?”

Rodriguez: “The gringos only give us training and instruction.”

J2: “What about the British?”

Rodriguez: “Well, it’s also Israel because they give us communications elements, and training.”

J2: “And NATO?”

Rodriguez: “No, well we are with NATO but NATO does not offer us anything, it’s about what we can offer them.”

The two went on to discuss the Russian’s career, with the J2 telling Rodriguez he comes from a military family and had served in Afghanistan and Chechnya, where he also had family ties. J2 said his wife and children were also stationed in Colombia with him. Rodriguez was curious about any tourism J2 had enjoyed in Colombia, but J2 was fixated on the Americans.

J2: “You know what they plan to give to the gringos or buy from them or give to you. You gave me to understand that there were some Russian companies that wanted to submit offers.” (Compete for contracts with the Colombian military).

According to testimony by Rodriguez, J2 then asked that he share documents on capabilities, but Rodriguez declined, saying he was focused on doctrine, not capabilities. J2 then became more blunt.

J2: “It’s that you can win, I win and you can win, it is simply to see what we can offer.”

The Venezuelan Connection

Rodriguez says J2 then asked about the possibility of Colombia invading Venezuela, to which Rodriguez said no, they were sister countries.

According to the prosecutor’s report, J2 participated in a May 2018 meeting in Moscow with Russian cyberwarfare personnel and officers of the FSB (Russian intelligence successor to the KGB) to hatch “Operation Sebastián,” a $37 million dollar plan to develop Venezuelan cyber operations, including hardware, software, and cyberdefenses, financed between a joint Chinese – Venezuelan fund.

Blue Radio indicates that J2 would direct participation in Operation Sebastián through ROSTEC, the representative in Colombia of the Russian entity ROSOBORONEXPORT, sanctioned by the US government since 2015 for violating INKSNA: The Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act. According to the attorney general’s office, Sebastián coordinates Russian espionage activities in Colombia and the activities of Russian soldiers and mercenaries currently operating in Venezuela.

Such operations would include at least four Russian signals intelligence posts established in Venezuela, by Russia, according to the Colombian government, to eavesdrop on Colombian communications and traffic.

DON'T MISS OUT: The only English-language Colombia news that's strictly business, markets, & investment!
Join global executives & investors by subscribing to our FREE weekly updates
I agree to have my personal information transferred to MailChimp ( more information ) DISCLAIMER: Protección de Datos Personales Artículo 15 de la Constitución Política de Colombia, ley 1581 de 2012 y decreto 1377 de 2013.
We will never spam you or share your email address ¡Nunca Jamás!

Share the news!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn
  • Skype

Related

Share your thoughts:

comments

About the Author
Loren Moss is the founder and publisher of Finance Colombia. He has over 20 years of international business experience, including over a decade of experience in securities, insurance, and commercial real estate, at the institutional and international level.
  • google-share
Previous Story

Caught “Red Handed:” 2nd Russian Spy Scandal In 2 Years Rocks Colombia

Next Story

Alleged Russian Spy Charged…With Running A Gambling Mafia

Related Posts

Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss
0

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
, By Loren Moss
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.
0

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022
, By Loren Moss
Colombia’s attorney general charged Russian national Sergein Vagin and six other people
0

Alleged Russian Spy Charged…With Running A Gambling Mafia

Posted On April 12, 2022
, By Loren Moss




Search

RECENT

POPULAR

COMMENTS

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named "World's Best Female Chef"

Posted On May 18, 2022
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022
Colombia’s attorney general charged Russian national Sergein Vagin and six other people

Alleged Russian Spy Charged…With Running A Gambling Mafia

Posted On April 12, 2022

Viva Launches Nonstop Routes To Buenos Aires, Argentina From Medellín & Bogotá, Colombia

Posted On April 12, 2022

Romanian Cybercriminal Mihai Ionut Paunescu Captured In Colombia

Posted On June 29, 2021
Photo montage courtesy EPM

EPM’s Board of Directors Resign En Masse, Creating Crisis For Mayor Daniel Quintero

Posted On August 17, 2020

Court Blocks Colombia’s $370 Million USD Emergency Loan To Bankrupt Avianca Airlines

Posted On September 12, 2020

Deadly Riots & Protests Against Police Brutality Break Out Across Colombia

Posted On September 10, 2020

AVIANCA IS BANKRUPT

Posted On May 10, 2020

[…] damn what she said. She and...

Posted On April 4, 2022

[…] by short sellers seeking to...

Posted On March 22, 2022

[…] no longer travel freely...

Posted On March 8, 2022

[…] Duque’s administration will...

Posted On March 8, 2022

[…] See also: 13 Police Injured In...

Posted On March 3, 2022

Watch This!

Consider Advertising With Us

Click here to visit Expat Group's English site

Subscribe Free

don't forget to include "http://"
* = required field
Your Background / Function








unsubscribe from list

RECENT

POPULAR

COMMENTS

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named "World's Best Female Chef"

Posted On May 18, 2022
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022

Romanian Cybercriminal Mihai Ionut Paunescu Captured In Colombia

Posted On June 29, 2021
Photo montage courtesy EPM

EPM’s Board of Directors Resign En Masse, Creating Crisis For Mayor Daniel Quintero

Posted On August 17, 2020

Deadly Riots & Protests Against Police Brutality Break Out Across Colombia

Posted On September 10, 2020

[…] damn what she said. She and...

Posted On April 4, 2022

[…] by short sellers seeking to...

Posted On March 22, 2022

[…] no longer travel freely...

Posted On March 8, 2022

Watch This!

Contact Us (Click the image):

Pages

  • About Us
  • Colombia Events, Conferences, Festivals and Important Dates
  • Contact Us
  • main
  • Media Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Search Results
  • Whatsapp test page
Copyright 2014-2020 Finance Colombia All Rights Reserved. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Posting....
WhatsApp us