Sean Wiswesser has written the rare book that pairs rigorous tradecraft insight with lived experience. Drawing on decades countering Russia's services, he maps how espionage, disinformation, and corruption actually work, and how to blunt them. The Ukraine case study is especially clarifying, but it's the human stories that stay with you. Essential reading for practitioners, policymakers, and citizens alike who want to understand (and perhaps resist) Putin's secret war. - Jennifer Ewbank, Former Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation----------------------------------------- Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks is a fascinating story of Russian spycraft that details the double agents, honey traps, and murders that have marked Soviet and now Russian foreign policy for decades. Sean Wiswesser spent his CIA career studying, teaching, and confronting Russian spies all over the globe; in his book on Russian Intelligence, he spills the beans on what Russian spies did and do, to challenge freedom and the West. Hard to put down, and harder to forget when falling asleep at night. - John Nagl, author of Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam----------------------------------------- Sean's book is an outstanding contribution to our understanding of the tradecraft utilized by what remain our most professionally skilled intelligence adversaries: the Russian foreign intelligence and security services. It provides unique insight into the history, cultures, and operations of the organizations that undergird the Putin regime and should be mandatory reading, not only for intelligence professionals, but also for any American interested in the security of our country. - Former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence Mark Kelton----------------------------------------- If you don't understand the Russian intelligence and security services, you simply can't understand Russia. In "Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian intelligence and Putin's Secret War," Sean Wiswesser richly and perceptively illustrates the root cause of Russian aggression, oppression, and destruction in the 21st Century - the unchanging nature and powerful influence of the modern Russian heirs of the Soviet KGB. Filled with authoritative and compelling detail, welcome clarity, and insightful nuance, Wiswesser's book is required reading for any policymaker, intelligence officer, academic, or businessman dealing with Russian issues. - Paul Kolbe, Former Chief CIA Central Eurasia Division, Senior Fellow at Harvard Belfer Center Intelligence Project----------------------------------------- Sean Wiswesser's personal reminiscences about encounters with Russian officers add authenticity to his narrative that is rare in books about Russian intelligence. His career as an operations officer lays a credible foundation for his interpretation and critique of Russian operations. Sean's experiences allow him to give personal tribute to several Soviet and Russian defectors with whom he worked, introducing readers to otherwise unknown people who supported U.S. intelligence in the 1990s and 2000s. - Kevin Riehle, Lecturer in Intelligence and International Security, Brunel University, London (author of FSB: A Concise History)----------------------------------------- This is an excellent book about the Russian Intelligence Services and the threat they pose to the West. It is informative, approachable, and compelling. The book contains many illustrative examples from the author's career. Written by a true expert, it should be mandatory reading for everyone in the U.S. Intelligence Community. The book will be useful to experts, but it is written with a style and clarity that recommend it to the interested citizen. - Rob Dannenberg, Former CIA Central Eurasia Division Chief and Chief of Russian Operations; Cipher Brief Expert (and author of A Spy Walked into a Bar)----------------------------------------- Wiswesser has written a book intelligence practitioners, scholars, and Western political leaders should pay attention to...well written, informative, and entertaining to read. It should be on the professional reading list of defense leaders, Russia specialists, enthusiasts, and those considering a career in the IC. It would also be an excellent addition to undergraduate and graduate school syllabi for courses on intelligence or Russian history. - Dr. Thomas Spahr, Chair of Strategic and Theater Intelligence, US Army War College; in PARAMETERS Journal, 6 March 2026----------------------------------------- Wiswesser's book will surely become an essential resource for national security professionals, students of the Russian government, and citizens interested in international affairs...Kremlin deceit and political warfare have remained constant. Sadly, so has the West's inability to recognize and respond to the threat. Sean Wiswesser has done his part to warn us that failure to act will only further damage Western democracy. - John Sipher, Former CIA Senior Executive and Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Atlantic Council; Review for "SpyTalk," 10 Feb 2026----------------------------------------- "Wiswesser is a seasoned Russia hand...Although he is necessarily discreet about the details of his work, it is clear that he has recruited Russian intelligence officers, run them as agents, and also helped catch those who have tried to spy on the United States and its allies, doing so in difficult and dangerous conditions...The book is engagingly written (modestly, too, which is unusual in his profession); it is packed with anecdotes and insights." - Edward Lucas, Columnist for The Times (of London) and Former Senior Editor with The Economist; in Substack "Active Measures", 22 Feb 2026----------------------------------------- Sean Wiswesser lifts the lid on the inner workings of the Russian security services. This is not a detached, scholarly account, but a plain-spoken, deeply authoritative, and often humorous expose of an implacable foe by an experienced officer possessing a rare combination of Russia-oriented tradecraft, language, and cultural skills. Readers will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of the dangers and weaknesses of these organizations, so reflective of the tragic paradox of Russia itself. - Gregory Sims, former CIA Station Chief