Russian President Vladimir Putin has quietly revived and rebranded the Cold War-era KGB, launching a covert intelligence force that experts are calling “KGB 2.0,” according to a report in The Sun. Known as the SSD — short for Department of Special Tasks — the shadowy unit has been tied to a string of covert operations across Europe, including botched assassination attempts, sabotage missions involving explosive-laden aircraft, and sophisticated cyberattacks aimed at destabilizing the West. The SSD reportedly came into existence in 2023, just a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and is believed to be operating as a hybrid force—blending espionage, military tactics, and digital warfare to expand Moscow’s reach and influence. “This is no ordinary spy agency,” said Lance Hunter, an international relations professor and intelligence expert at Georgia’s Augusta University. “The SSD consolidates capabilities from across Russia’s sprawling intelligence network, coordinating with special forces to execute highly disruptive missions. It’s a fusion of old-school KGB tactics with modern warfare.” James Appathurai, NATO’s deputy assistant secretary-general, told The Sun that Russia views itself as engaged in a broad confrontation with the West. “Moscow believes it is in a state of conflict with what it calls ‘the collective West,’ and it is acting accordingly — including issuing open threats of nuclear escalation.” While the SSD’s activity appears to have subsided in recent months, intelligence sources believe the lull may be strategic. Analysts suggest Putin is pressing pause to give himself political breathing room amid faltering peace efforts in Ukraine and ongoing negotiations with NATO. But few believe the SSD has gone dormant. As one official put it: “The silence isn’t peace. It’s the calm before the next move.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)