Russia and the FBI Revive Quiet Cooperation Against Transnational Crime

A visit by FBI Director Kash Patel to Moscow, the first by the head of the bureau in a decade, could prove to be far more than a symbolic gesture of cooperation. It may also become part of a broader and more complex exchange of intelligence and operational information.

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Kash Patel (53860348495)

FSB and FBI Always Maintained Communication

FBI Director Kash Patel told Reuters that the bureau has established new law enforcement partnerships with Russia and China to combat transnational threats, including fentanyl trafficking, cyber fraud, child sexual exploitation, and organized crime.

His remarks reinforce earlier reports that Patel is preparing to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg, reportedly in October. The key question is how valuable such contacts with the FBI-not to be confused with the CIA-are for Russia.

Communication between the FBI and Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has continued even during the most difficult periods of geopolitical confrontation. In fact, these channels, typically maintained through legal attachés at diplomatic missions, have often been used to defuse particularly dangerous situations.

If You Know About a Threat, You Warn the Other Side

An unwritten rule has long governed cooperation against terrorism and organized crime: if you know about a threat, you pass the information on.

Before the terrorist attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall in 2024, U.S. intelligence agencies officially provided the FSB with operational information warning of an ISIS* terrorist threat targeting large public gatherings. FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov later confirmed that the information had been received, while noting that it was relatively general in nature.

Earlier, in 2017, intelligence provided by the FBI helped Russian authorities dismantle a terrorist cell in St. Petersburg that had been planning to bomb the Kazan Cathedral. Following the operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally called Donald Trump to express his gratitude for the intelligence.

Russia has also shared critical information with the United States. Shortly before the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the FSB formally alerted the FBI regarding the Tsarnaev brothers. After the attack, Russian and American security services exchanged intelligence extensively.

The principle has remained largely unchanged: regardless of political tensions or sanctions, protecting civilian lives takes priority.

Different Model of Cooperation with Russia

Patel also revealed that Chinese police officers travel monthly to FBI facilities in the United States to exchange intelligence, while FBI personnel make reciprocal visits to China.

He made no comparable statement regarding Russia. Cooperation between the FBI and Russian security agencies is structured differently and remains entirely confidential and non-public.

Russia's Priority Is Intelligence on Ukrainian Terrorist Networks

Russian security officials understand that any direct contact also provides an opportunity for American intelligence to assess Russian personnel and potentially identify future recruitment targets.

Moscow also remembers that cooperation has often been perceived as unequal. The United States has readily accepted intelligence supplied by Russia – including information related to the REvil cybercrime group in 2022 and the Tsarnaev brothers – but has generally shared its own information far more selectively. Russian officials point to the warning before the Crocus City Hall attack as an example, arguing that it lacked critical operational detail.

At the same time, the United States continues to be viewed by Russia as a potential adversary. From Moscow's perspective, Washington is not merely a mediator in Ukraine but an active participant in a proxy conflict.

As a result, any practical cooperation is expected to focus on areas of mutual interest, including combating international drug trafficking and dismantling transnational cybercrime groups. This could also extend to Ukrainian-based fraudulent call centers that have targeted victims in both Russia and the United States.

Patel's reported visit may also be driven by efforts to obtain information concerning Democratic Party figures who maintained close ties with the Ukrainian government. Such material could potentially become part of a broader exchange involving information on senior Ukrainian officials.

Relations between Russian and American security services can best be summarized by a familiar principle: measure seven times before cutting once. Even so, there are occasions when cooperation remains both useful and necessary.

* ISIS is designated as a terrorist organization and banned in the Russian Federation.