10/27/2026
ANDREY SPIRIDONOV | INTELLIGENCE, COUNTERINTELLIGENCE, STATE SECURITY AND INSTITUTIONAL Andrey Spiridonov - Founder of Institutional Counterintelligence Analysis
My interview with the Italian geopolitical publication DISSIPATIO — October 26, 2026
The Italian publication "Dissipatio" has published an extensive interview in which I discuss my professional experience in Soviet and Russian intelligence and counterintelligence, my academic research, and the development of Institutional Counterintelligence Analysis (ICA), a scientific discipline I founded to investigate the structural vulnerabilities of institutions and the mechanisms through which threats to national security emerge, evolve, and influence political decision-making. The conversation, conducted by Riccardo Ficicchia, also addresses intelligence history, the relationship between political authority and security institutions, contemporary geopolitical conflicts, and the challenges confronting European states in an increasingly unstable international environment.
One of the central subjects of the interview is my book "L'Impero romano e il controspionaggio. Potere, informazione e governo dell'incertezza", which examines the relationship between intelligence, political authority, and the management of uncertainty in ancient Rome. The historical experience of the Roman state provides an opportunity to investigate problems that remain relevant to modern intelligence organizations: the reliability of information, the identification of hostile intentions, the assessment of internal threats, and the consequences of decisions taken under conditions of incomplete or distorted knowledge.
Particular attention is devoted to Institutional Counterintelligence Analysis (ICA), a discipline developed through the integration of operational experience, institutional research, and the systematic examination of complex organizational structures. Unlike approaches that concentrate primarily on individual hostile actors or isolated security incidents, ICA investigates the relationships between institutional processes, information flows, administrative responsibilities, and decision-making mechanisms, seeking to identify vulnerabilities that may remain undetected when these elements are examined separately.
The discussion also considers institutional failures and financial cases, including Danske Bank and Wirecard, which demonstrate the importance of examining how information circulates between organizations and how structural weaknesses may prevent institutions from recognizing emerging threats. These cases raise questions extending far beyond the financial sector, particularly concerning the ability of supervisory authorities, intelligence organizations, and political institutions to recognize patterns of risk before their consequences become irreversible.
Our conversation extends to the security challenges facing Italy and Europe, including organized crime, foreign intelligence activities, cyber threats, disinformation, institutional infiltration, migration policy, and the protection of national interests. We also examine the war in Ukraine, the political evolution of contemporary Russia, relations between Moscow and Western governments, and the broader consequences of geopolitical confrontation for European security and international stability.
Throughout my professional and academic career, I have become increasingly convinced that the effectiveness of intelligence and counterintelligence cannot be measured solely by the capacity to obtain classified information, identify foreign agents, or conduct successful operations. Their deeper significance lies in understanding the interaction between information, institutional behavior, political authority, and the structural conditions that determine whether a state can recognize threats, protect its institutions, and make responsible decisions.
I would like to express my appreciation to Riccardo Ficicchia and the editorial team of "Dissipatio" for the opportunity to discuss these questions in a serious and substantive conversation. I hope the interview will contribute to a broader professional and academic discussion of intelligence, counterintelligence, institutional security, and the responsibilities of state power in the contemporary world.
FULL INTERVIEW — DISSIPATIO (ITALIAN)
https://www.dissipatio.it/andrey-spiridonov-intervista/
Official websites:
https://www.andreyspiridonov.com
https://www.ICA-analysis.org
