It's to build awareness of just how serious a challenge Russia represents to the United States to this day. The activities of each led directly to the loss of lives of individuals secretly working for the United States. In 2010, the United States exposed a group of Russian "illegals"—Russian intelligence officers living secret lives in the United States. Wiswesser sees Russian intelligence services as the spine of Putin's regime—his most trusted resource. Putin relied heavily on Russian intelligence in planning and setting his expectations for his 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.