The Rest Is Classified 131. How Russia Made Trump: Stealing Washington’s Secrets (Ep 2)
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Feb 25, 2026 A deep dive into Russia's hack-and-leak tactics and how active measures use the internet to amplify influence. A look at GRU history, Unit 26165 and notorious APT groups like Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear. Tales of spearphishing campaigns, the Podesta phish, X-Agent malware and how Ukraine served as a testing ground for later operations.
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Active Measures Went Digital With Hack And Leak
- Russia reused Cold War active measures but the internet made them far faster and easier to disseminate.
- The GRU led a 2016 hack-and-leak approach combining theft (hack) with targeted public dissemination (leak) to influence politics.
GRU Showed Up Loud While SVR Stayed Quiet
- The GRU developed noisy, aggressive cyber units (e.g., Fancy Bear/APT28) distinct from quieter SVR hackers (Cozy Bear/APT29).
- GRU favored disruptive operations and sabotage, tested earlier in Ukraine before targeting Western politics.
Ukraine Hack Tried To Fake Election Results
- In May–June 2014 the GRU penetrated Ukraine's Electoral Commission and attempted to alter vote tallies.
- The malware aimed to fake election results and Russian TV prepared to broadcast the manipulated outcome.
