The FSB intends to expand its own capabilities for monitoring russian Internet users, as well as masking its operations. This is stated in a daily report from specialists of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The report notes that the FSB is likely to support amendments to a russian State Duma bill that would expand its tools of digital authoritarianism to monitor russian internet users, banking and telecommunications companies.
Experts conclude: the FSB's efforts to gain control over the databases of large companies are probably part of an attempt to strengthen measures to monitor the population of the russian federation and occupied Ukraine.
In addition, it notes: the FSB also intends to use potential new access to databases to more easily mask its operations.
The FSB's potential new access to the databases of private companies could affect information security in other countries that use the services of the russian Open Data Association.
Experts recall that in August, the Kremlin tried to force Yandex to provide the FSB with the data of international users.
Analysts also noted that on September 29, russian president vladimir putin signed a decree that 130,000 servicemen will be drafted into the russian army from October to December 2023, compared to 147,000 servicemen drafted during the spring draft.
Regarding operations at the front, the review notes that the Ukrainian military continued counteroffensive operations in the west of the Zaporizhzhia Region and in the Bakhmut area on September 29.
Russian sources claim that on September 28 and 29, Ukrainian forces attacked north of Robotyne (10 km south of Orikhov), as well as near Verbove (18 km southeast of Orikhov) and Novoprokopivka (13 km south of Orikhov).
Russian "military correspondents" claimed on September 29 that Ukrainian forces unsuccessfully tried to advance east of the railway line south of Bakhmut in the area of Klishchiyivka (7 km southwest of Bakhmut) and Kurdiumivka (13 km southwest of Bakhmut), and also reported about heavy battles on the Klishchiyivka-Andriyivka-Kurdiumivka line.
ISW Key Findings for September 29:
- On September 29, Ukrainian troops continued counteroffensive operations in the west of the Zaporizhzhia Region and in the Bakhmut area.
- The russian government has announced details of a six-month conscription cycle that will begin on October 1 in most of russia, including the illegally annexed territories of Ukraine.
- russian president vladimir putin met with russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and former Wagner group commander and current Defense Ministry employee Andrei Troshev on September 29, suggesting that putin is likely to support the Ministry of Defense in its apparent competition with Russian Guard regarding the recruitment of current and former members of Wagner.
- The FSB is likely to support amendments to the russian State Duma bill that would expand its tools of digital authoritarianism to monitor russian Internet users, banking and telecommunications companies.
- The apparent censorship in the wider russian information space has probably opened the door for some fringe elements to directly criticize and speculate on the russian high command without any hindrance.
- Russian troops conducted offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiyivka-Donetsk line, in the border zone between the western part of the Donetsk and the eastern part of Zaporizhzhia Regions, as well as in the western part of the Zaporizhzhia Region, and on September 29 advanced forward in some areas.
- Russia may continue trying to circumvent sanctions through military-technical cooperation with CIS member states.
- Russia is relaxing passport control for Ukrainian citizens leaving and entering russia, probably in an attempt to simplify the movement of Ukrainian citizens to russia.
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