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Google Translate exposes Russian spy unit

Mar 20, 2026
Have we just seen the most embarrassing intelligence failure Russia has suffered in years? That’s the question after investigative group The Insider revealed how a secret Russian unit - known as Center 795 - allegedly ran assassinations and covert operations abroad, but was exposed in a remarkably simple way: one of its agents used Google Translate. According to the investigation, that allowed the FBI to read their communications in real time. So how did a supposedly “untraceable” elite unit unravel so easily -- and what does it tell us about Russia's modern espionage? France 24's Jean-Emile Jammine spoke with one of the author's of the report, The Insider's Editor-in-chief, Roman Dobrohotov.  
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