Two Russian intelligence officers ran a textbook psychological operation against a young Moscow student, alternating between fraternal concern and barely veiled threats to coerce him into spying on anti-Kremlin activists who had fled to Europe, leaked communications have revealed.

The messages and recorded calls, obtained by Politico, document a "good cop, bad cop" routine that played out over nearly two years, from 2023 to 2025, "Hvylya" reports. One agent, described as tall and slender, took on an almost brotherly role — offering family advice, promising to sort out trouble with the student's studies and claiming to have shielded him from military conscription.

"I've talked it through, no one's going to take you into the army," the agent wrote in late November 2024, assuring the student that his case was under "personal control." The second officer, stockier in build, handled compliance through intimidation. "We had high hopes that you'd help us with information, but based on our interaction, you don't seem to share that desire," he wrote.

When the student repeatedly found excuses to avoid in-person meetings, the second agent lost patience. "I'm a decent person, don't try to play me for a fool," he wrote. The invitation to have a beer, he continued, was "to motivate you" and to show "we're not animals and we need your help."

The agents also coached the student on infiltration techniques. "Float the topic that Russia sucks, you're thinking of emigrating," one message instructed. "Ask how and where you can go. Such as where the guys have settled, where you can find work." They pushed for detailed reports on opposition activities abroad, including protest rallies and organizational structures.

At times the roles reversed. During one recorded call, the typically friendlier agent pressed the student about reestablishing contact with Vesna, a pro-democracy group labeled "extremist" by a Russian court in 2022. When the student's voice grew audibly stressed, the agent snapped: "What are you nervous about? Am I pressuring you? Relax. Breathe. Everything will be alright."

"Hvylya" also explored why Russia's civilian espionage recruits are far harder to catch than professional operatives.