Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House in London, says Putin’s FSB has been casting a wide net for new agents since the invasion of Ukraine. It’s all part of Moscow’s push to harass and unbalance NATO nations.

“Russia will reach out and recruit anybody it can, because that is now very much cheaper and easier thanks to online access,” said Giles. “The investment of time and resources in doing this is tiny compared to the potential results.”

The end goal isn’t necessarily to obtain secret information, or engage in sabotage, says Giles, but rather to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt. A goal that can be met even when spies are caught — or confess.

“Russia places very little value on the people that it recruits. They are disposable,” he said.

Laken’s family hope that he will soon return home, and have been told that quiet negotiations are underway to allow him to complete his sentence in Canada.

[A youngster was a Forces cadet and reservist, planned to join the army after his 18th birthday, and his dad’s a retired master corporal. Warsaw regional court said they showed leniency due to his confession and cooperation. His mother’s laywer is blaming Canada for letting the kid leave in the first place.]