Dr. Hans Jakob Schindler, terrorism expert and head of the Counter Extremism Project, told The European Circle that these "agents" are hired for a single purpose, meaning they have little understanding of Russian intelligence structures in Germany or across Europe. They operate not only in Germany, but across the continent. For foreign actors, including Russia, their main advantage is anonymity. Most are identified via Russia-friendly Telegram channels, where they have expressed pro-Russian views. According to Schindler, these agents - typically male and with a lower level of formal education - are then contacted and recruited.