Episodios

  • S10 Ep39: Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks with Sean Wiswesser
    Apr 11 2026

    Sean Wiswesser spent three decades in the U.S. intelligence community, much of it running operations against Russia for the CIA. His new book, Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks, dissects of how the FSB, SVR, and GRU actually do their work: dead drops, signal sites, surveillance detection routes, and the street tradecraft that protected agents like Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen for years. Wiswesser explains why Russian services keep returning to Cold War–era methods, breaks down the operational differences between the SVR and GRU, and assesses elite units like Alpha, Vympel, and Spetsnaz whose mythology often outpaces their record. He also charts the sharp escalation in Russian sabotage across Europe, the mafia-like culture driving increasingly reckless operations, and Moscow's use of AI-enhanced active measures to deepen division in Western democracies.

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    Order Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: https://www.usni.org/press/books/tradecraft-tactics-and-dirty-tricks

    Connect with Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-wiswesser-a86603133/

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/

    Music by Andrew R. Bird

    Photo by Dmitry Astakhov / REX

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

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    1 h y 2 m
  • S10 Ep38: Inside the New Apostolic Reformation: Faith, Power, and American Politics with Pastor Louis Florio
    Apr 4 2026

    Pastor Louis Florio—Lutheran pastor, former military intelligence officer, and police chaplain in Virginia—joins Chris to explain the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR): what it actually is, where it came from, and why it matters beyond the pews. Florio traces the movement's roots in the mid-20th-century Latter Rain revival, unpacks its core doctrines of dominionism and post-millennialism, and explains how its network of self-proclaimed apostles and prophets has embedded itself inside American evangelical politics largely without recognition. The conversation covers the five-fold ministry structure, NAR's proprietary Bible translation, its links to Christian nationalism, cult-like abuse dynamics, and the theological distance between NAR and mainstream Christianity. Florio also offers practical guidance for families navigating a loved one's radicalization, and closes with resources for listeners who want to track these movements.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.

    Follow Pastor Lou's Two Penny Blog at https://2-penny-blog.com/
    Follow Pastor Lou's police-related blog, Midnights LEO: https://midnightsleo.com/
    Follow Pastor Lou's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-florio-04475232/

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by Win McNamee/Getty

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

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    1 h y 40 m
  • S10 Ep37: Espresso Martini | Boots in Iran, Putin's War Plans, and China in Orbit
    Mar 28 2026
    Chris and Matt are back for Espresso Martini. Nearly a month into Operation Epic Fury, Washington appears to be laying the groundwork for potential ground operations inside Iran—but the two options on the table, seizing Kharg Island or securing Tehran's enriched uranium stockpile, are both far harder to execute than advertised. They dig into what a nuclear material extraction would actually require, and what growing strain on U.S. interceptor stockpiles and carrier availability signals about the campaign's trajectory. Then, a deep dive into the Guardian's reconstruction of how CIA and MI6 accurately predicted Russia's 2022 invasion—and why no one listened—and what that intelligence failure says about the long-term costs of credibility. Finally, the Space Force's pivot toward offensive counter-space as China's satellite constellation surpasses 1,900 orbital assets.Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.Please share this episode using these linksAudio: https://pod.fo/e/3c5a04YouTube: https://youtu.be/F4czmDQU8TUSupport Secrets and SpiesBecome a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspiesSubscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dgFor more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.comArticles discussed in today’s episode"Trump’s Next Decision: Whether to Retrieve Iran’s Nuclear Fuel, Whatever the Risk" by David E. Sanger | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/opinion/iran-nuclear-materials-war.html"I Spent Two Decades Securing Nuclear Materials. Getting at Iran’s Would Not Be Easy." by Andrew Weber | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/us/politics/trump-iran-nuclear-fuel.html"Special Ops To Get The Uranium" by Cheryl Rofer | Lawyers, Guns & Money: https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/03/special-ops-to-get-the-uranium"What Boots On The Ground In Iran Could Entail, According To Former CENTCOM Commander" by Howard Altman | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/news-features/former-centcom-commander-on-what-u-s-boots-on-the-ground-in-iran-could-entail"A war foretold: How the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them" by Shaun Walker | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/20/a-war-foretold-cia-mi6-putin-ukraine-plans-russia"China’s Growing Armada Of Spy Satellites Is Pushing Space Force To Go On The Offensive" by Joseph Trevithick & Howard Altman | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/space/chinas-growing-armada-of-spy-satellites-is-pushing-space-force-to-go-on-the-offensiveConnect with us on social mediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspiesFacebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspiesSpoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpiesFollow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.netSecrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/Music by Andrew R. BirdUS Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Daniel WallaceSecrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    1 h y 6 m
  • S10 Ep36: Inside the Bulgarian Spy Ring Trial with Trevor Barnes
    Mar 18 2026

    Chris speaks with intelligence historian and journalist Trevor Barnes about the Bulgarian spy ring trial at the Old Bailey, one of the most significant espionage cases in the UK since the Cold War. Barnes attended the proceedings and walks Chris through how a network of Bulgarian nationals, allegedly directed remotely by fugitive Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek from Moscow, was tasked with surveilling journalists and dissidents across Europe — including Bellingcat investigator Christo Grozev — in operations that prosecutors suggested could have enabled kidnapping or assassination. The case cracked open after a US intelligence tip-off, was jointly handled by MI5 and the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, and ultimately turned on roughly 200,000 encrypted Telegram messages. Barnes unpacks what the trial revealed about Russia's growing reliance on proxy networks and criminal cut-outs in place of traditional deep-cover officers, and what it signals for Western counter-intelligence in an era of mounting state-sponsored threats.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.

    Read Trevor’s article about the trial: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/trevorwbarnes_britain-russia-bulgarian-activity-7440003523754459136-Pscm

    Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorwbarnes/

    Please share this episode using these linksAudio: https://pod.fo/e/3afd42
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/VWODfRZZA2o

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by Getty, Metropolitan Police/AP

    Special Thank you to Mark Vaile

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 25 m
  • S10 Ep35: How China Steals America’s Secrets with David Shedd & Andrew Badger
    Mar 14 2026

    David Shedd served as acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Andrew Badger is a former DIA case officer now teaching state-sponsored espionage at Oxford. Together they've written The Great Heist: China's Epic Campaign to Steal America's Secrets. Matt talks with them about how the Ministry of State Security evolved from a backwater service into what they argue is the world's most powerful intelligence agency; how Beijing replaced Cold War recruitment tradecraft with guanxi-based social obligation and what the authors call "crowd-sourced espionage"; how Made in China 2025 functioned as a national collection priority list driving theft across defense, tech, and critical infrastructure; and why Volt and Salt Typhoon represent not an espionage story but pre-positioning for war—with kill switches already embedded in America's power grid and telecommunications backbone.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.

    Order The Great Heist: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-heist-david-r-sheddandrew-badger

    Connect with David and Andrew on LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-shedd-00a32bb5
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbadger1

    Please share this episode using these links

    Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3a9846
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    Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by Shutterstock

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 1 m
  • S10 Ep34: Iran After Khamenei with Phillip Smyth
    Mar 7 2026
    Israel has killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC's senior leadership is decimated. The CIA is reportedly arming Kurdish opposition forces along the Iran-Iraq border. Phillip Smyth — one of the foremost experts on Iran's Shia proxy networks — joins Matt to make sense of what comes next: why Khamenei's succession is far more fraught than most analysis acknowledges; why the proliferation of "new" armed groups on the battlefield is largely a disinformation campaign run by established militias; the limits of a Kurdish covert action strategy; why a regime that survives under Khamenei’s son would look essentially identical to the one the Israelis just tried to destroy; and Smyth's warning about the apocalyptic messianic splinter groups that could emerge from the rubble of a collapsing theocracy.Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.Follow Phillip on X/Twitter: https://x.com/PhillipSmythConnect with Phillip on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipsmythPhllip’s work for The Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smythPhillip’s work for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/Phllip’s work for The Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smythPhillip’s work for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/“Inside the Operation That Killed Khamenei” by Anat Peled, Milàn Czerny, Dov Lieber & Anika Arora Seth | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/inside-the-operation-that-killed-khamenei-03eebbad"How the Assault on Iran Unfolded" by David M. Halbfinger and Ronen Bergman | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/world/middleeast/iran-israel-strikes.html"Trump Weighs Backing Militias to Dislodge Iran’s Regime" by Alexander War & Vera Bergenruen | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-leadership-succession-b5c4118e"Pro-American Kurdish Forces Are Preparing Possible Iran Incursion" by Erika Solomon, Julian E. Barnes, Christiaan Triebert, Parin Behrooz & Farnaz Fassihi | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/us/politics/kurds-trump-iran-war.htmlPlease share this episode using these linksAudio: link: https://pod.fo/e/39ff0fYouTube: https://youtu.be/j8crrYkaY4ESupport Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspiesSubscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dgFor more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.comConnect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspiesFacebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspiesSpoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpiesFollow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.netSecrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/Music by Andrew R. BirdPhoto by Atta Kenare/AFPSecrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    1 h y 25 m
  • S10 Ep33: Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed with Lizzie Dearden
    Feb 28 2026

    In this conversation, Lizzie Dearden, a journalist specializing in terrorism reporting, shares her journey into the field, the writing of her book Plotters, and insights into the evolving landscape of terrorism in the UK. She discusses the emotional atmosphere of terrorism trials, the shift in threats post-2017, and the complexities of radicalization. Dearden highlights the challenges of public perception, the role of intelligence agencies, and the significance of case studies like Haroon Syed's. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on radicalization and the future of terrorism.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.

    Find more about Lizzie and her work: https://www.lizziedearden.com

    Buy Plotters: https://www.waterstones.com/book/plotters/lizzie-dearden/9781805261636

    Please share this episode using these links

    Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3995a2
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/vyIA9EfStn0

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/

    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by Guy Corbishley/Alamy

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

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    58 m
  • S10 Ep32: Ukraine’s Struggle, Four Years On with Ben Wittes
    Feb 21 2026

    Benjamin Wittes, editor-in-chief of Lawfare, joins Matt and Chris after spending two weeks traveling across Ukraine—from Kyiv to Kharkiv and Odesa—as the war enters its fourth year. What he describes is sobering. Cities that appear functional on the surface are living through freezing temperatures, rolling blackouts, nightly missile strikes, and the constant threat of drone attacks. Families endure shattered infrastructure and relentless uncertainty, while society strains to maintain some semblance of normal life. Ben reflects on the exhaustion and resilience of the Ukrainian people, the rapidly evolving drone war reshaping modern combat, and why Western audiences often misunderstand the reality on the ground. The conversation also examines Zelensky’s standing at home, skepticism around current peace efforts, and why Ukraine’s fight remains central to Europe’s future security.

    This is an unfiltered look at a nation still holding the line.

    Ben's "Project Batteries" has raised over $79,000 to put portable power stations in the hands of Ukrainians enduring the depths of winter without heat, water, or electricity amid Russian bombardment. If you'd like to help keep that number climbing, find his latest updates with Venmo/PayPal links below.

    https://www.dogshirtdaily.com/p/de-iceing-in-krakow

    Ben’s work with Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/
    Ben’s Substack, Dog Shirt Daily: https://www.dogshirtdaily.com/
    Follow Ben on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org

    Ukrainian Aid Charities https://dignitas.fund/
    https://unitedhelpukraine.org/
    https://savelife.in.ua/en/

    Please share this episode using these links

    Audio: https://pod.fo/e/393dbc
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    Support Secrets and SpiesBecome a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
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    Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/
    Music by Andrew R. Bird

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 16 m