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The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

Russia Signals Minimal Desire for Peace

Experts urge a heavier hand on the Kremlin, which has not abandoned its maximalist war aims

Russia Signals Minimal Desire for Peace

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — As Russia continues it's brutal bombardment of Ukrainian cities, talks between Moscow and the U.S. to end the war appear on very [...] More

RussiaEuropeUkraine
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The Open Source Report

Politician speaks at podium with American and Israeli flags in the background.

Global Intelligence Report for Friday, January 16, 2026

Israel, Turkey, Arab Nations Asked Trump to Refrain From Attacking Iran

France replaces US as main intelligence provider to Kyiv, Macron says

U.S. Seizes Sixth Sanctioned Tanker Linked to Venezuela as Oil Control Campaign Expands

European troops in Greenland won’t change Trump’s mind, White House says

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

What U.S. – China Cooperation Means for the World

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

OPINION -- China was very critical of the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last week. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the U.S. action was “blatant interference” in Venezuela and a [...] More

ChinaAmbassador Joseph DeTraniAsia

Remembering Aldrich Ames and the Lives He Destroyed

Mark Kelton

“I would never wish death upon anyone, but I have read some obituaries with great satisfaction.” - Winston ChurchillOPINION -- I associate myself with at least the latter part of that quote from Winston Churchill with [...] More

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News & Analysis

How China Built AI Dominance on Stolen American Silicon

How China Built AI Dominance on Stolen American Silicon

DEEP DIVE — Federal prosecutors in Texas, in December, unsealed charges and related details exposing a sprawling scheme that quietly siphoned some of [...] More

ChinaTech/CyberAsia

Opinion

Uber Krysha: How Russia Turns Crime into Power—and Poison

Gregory Sims

Uber Krysha: How Russia Turns Crime into Power—and Poison

OPINION — Current discussion of Russian "hybrid warfare" tends to revolve around concepts like disinformation, proxy militias, cyber operations, [...] More

RussiaEuropeAlternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Tapping a China Vibe in South Koreaplay icon

Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

The Open Source Report

Book Reviews

The Mossad’s Most Transformational Leader
The Mossad’s Most Transformational Leader

Can Iran Ever Become a “Normal Adversary”?
Can Iran Ever Become a “Normal Adversary”?

The Spy Who Came in Because He Wanted a Divorce
The Spy Who Came in Because He Wanted a Divorce

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The Best National Security Gossip

LICENSE TO EXPEL — DIPLOMACY GETS THE BOOT: Russia has ordered an unnamed British diplomat to leave Moscow within two weeks, accusing the official of engaging in espionage - a charge London dismisses as “malicious and baseless,” according to the Associated Press. The Kremlin says its security services uncovered evidence of intelligence activity; the UK says this is yet another round of Moscow’s favorite sport: evidence-free finger-pointing with a side of geopolitical theater. The Guardian adds that the move comes amid already brittle UK-Russia relations and a long history of mutual expulsions that tend to escalate faster [...] More

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Events

Live Events

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of March 13, 2026. This Black-Tie event is invite only, please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 13 March, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets

Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly catches up with former BBC Correspondent and Author Gordon Corera to talk about the spy story he found in the archives: the subject of his new book, The Spy in the Archive: How One Man Tried to Kill the KGB as well as what he’s learned from decades of covering the world of espionage and his assessment of MI6’s new Chief.

Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment


David McCloskey, former CIA Analyst turned novelist is out with his fourth book, The Persian, about an Iranian dentist who is recruited by Mossad to take on a dangerous mission inside Iran. Cover Stories Host Suzanne Kelly digs in on how McCloskey’s real-life Intelligence background fueled his latest novel, and discovers a few of McCloskey’s own secrets along the way.