How the secret services manipulate people - KGB, FSB and FBI

[BadB]

Hello everyone, I am a negotiation expert with you. Have you ever heard of influence and persuasion techniques? The KGB, FSB and FBI special services masterfully use these techniques when communicating with people.

Share in the comments what tough techniques of the special services you have encountered? And how did you get out of it?

In today's topic we will analyze:

• Harsh tactics used by intelligence agencies
• How to convince people?
• How to take a break in negotiations?
• How to manage people?

Content:

• Today's Topic
• Introduction
• Harsh tactics used by intelligence agencies
• 1. "Nerve massage"
• 2. "Conveyor"
• 3. "Standing Torture"
• 4. "Lightning Solution"
• How to take a break
• 5. "Distortion of facts"
• Conclusion

Today on the topic.
So, aren't you a patriot? Right here. No thinking, sign or get out of here. Then they will label you and attribute to you things you have never done.

Introduction.
Greetings, friends. With you, Igor Uzov, an expert in conducting negotiations. And today you will have a very serious and tough topic.

Tough methods used by the special services.
I have been planning to do it for a long time, I have studied this issue for a long time and today I will tell you about the most brutal methods that the special services have used and still use. I will analyze the methods of the KGB, the State Security Committee. And, of course, you may have a question, why do I need them, why do I need to know them? The answer is very simple, because nothing has changed. Because the toughest negotiators, the toughest opponents, a, use these methods, and, secondly, you can never say never about prison or the amount.
So, let's go, today I'll tell you about the techniques, by the way, both physical and moral, that the special services used, use and, unfortunately, will use in relation to their victims. Are you ready? Then go ahead.

1. "Nervous massage".
Technique No. 1 is called nervous massage, well, as the KGB used it.

When a person was being interrogated, they carefully told him what they would do to him next. They literally imitated his execution. They told him how they would shoot him or how they would put him in jail, with whom he would sit in the cell. They simply heated up the situation. That's why it's called nervous massage. That is, through talking about negative consequences, they conveyed to the person the idea of how disgusting it would be for him, that things would be bad for him.

This is a rather sadistic, harsh technique, because fear begins to form in the person's head, fear of the future. To be honest, I myself found myself in such a situation when I was in business, and I was engaged in the supply of alcoholic beverages. And I had a very difficult situation in my life, when during interrogation they told me all the horror of the prison cell and what they could do to me, and what would happen. And you sit, you freeze, especially when they started talking about your family, about the fact that yes, you are here, but think about it, and then they start talking about what will happen to the family.

How is this applied in business? In business, a tough negotiator starts talking about everything, everything negative. Okay, you don’t agree with us, you don’t give us conditions. Then what do we do? Now we are cutting supplies with you, we are bringing in your competitor, we are systematically ending our work with you, and the person is sitting, he is starting to feel afraid, afraid of losing money.
Agree, the same. Therefore, nervous massage is one of the favorite techniques, very tough, I would say, very cruel, and you always need to be ready to put a block. How to put a block? I talk about this in my master classes, or rather in the master class to which I want to invite you, because this master class is for you, 2.5 hours.

2.5 hours online format, where I talk not only about techniques, but also how to resist pressure, manipulation, aggression in sales, in personal life. Register. Everyone who registers will receive gifts. These are checklists, reminders of the correct methods of negotiating and selling. And we continue with you.

2. "Conveyor".
Technique No. 2. Yezhov's favorite technique. Remember this expression "iron gloves"? So, the hedgehog mittens are not because the hedgehog is on the mittens, but because there was such a sadist, an executioner of hedgehogs. By the way, he later fell victim to Stalin's repressions too. Deservedly, by the way. So, one of his favorite tortures was the conveyor. What is it? The subject, the person who was brought in for interrogation, he was sitting or standing, it doesn't matter, and the investigators changed, the investigators changed, and this interrogation could go on for days, days, days.

By the way, Solzhenitsyn described this technique very well, I can't even say this technique, this sadistic technique, when the victim was ready to give any testimony and make any concessions. When you sit or stand, and the investigator changes, changes, changes, changes. By the way, today this is also used and is used not only by the special services of the Russian Federation, but also by many others, when a person ends up on a conveyor.

I happened to get on a business conveyor belt, when in one of the countries, it was Japan, we were negotiating, and the Japanese delegation was constantly arriving, and they were constantly changing the composition of the negotiators without us noticing, and we could not leave.

The negotiations lasted 12 hours, can you imagine our fatigue? Of course, in business negotiations you must remember that you have the right to take a break and rest, even if it seems to you that you do not have such a right. Well, and, of course, it is almost impossible to resist such sadistic techniques if you have ended up on such a conveyor belt.

3. "Torture by standing."
So, technique No. 3 is torture standing. Of course, this technique is not used in business, but, nevertheless, I must tell you about it.

And this is also one of Nikolai Yezhov's inventions. What is it? This is when the subject stands on one leg for 10-12 hours, cannot lean on anything, cannot put it down, cannot do anything. Can you imagine how sophisticated a sadist you have to be to force the victim to stand on one leg for 10-12 hours? Of course, the victim admitted everything, of course, the victim testified against himself, and against his loved ones, and against his relatives.

Well, it is clear that we do not encounter such a technique in business and it is impossible to use it, hardly anyone can imagine that in business you will be forced to stand on one leg, but the reason I told you about this technique is so that you understand how sophisticated the imagination of the person who decided to put psychological pressure on you is.

4. "Lightning decision".
The next technique in business is used constantly and is called "make a lightning decision".

What is a lightning decision? This is a decision that you must make here and now. And, friends, agree that everywhere, everywhere people make decisions that harm them because you must make a decision here and now. You have no time to think, there will be no more chances, so right here, no thinking, sign or get out of here.

And many negotiators crumble, and then begin to make excuses, I did not have the opportunity to take a break, I could not think. There is always a pause. Never, do you hear, never make lightning-fast decisions. Under the pressure of fear, under the pressure of emotions, a person is inclined to make a decision, he is inclined to sign against himself, he is inclined to do so that it is not beneficial for him.

Remember, a pause is something that you always have the right to, and always take it. By the way, I invited you and invite you to my master class, where I will give you many tools on how to resist pressure, manipulation, aggression, and this is just one of the pause techniques. There are a lot of them, so do not forget to register for my master class, the master class will be very useful to you and will not allow other people to manipulate you.

And not to manipulate you means to be free to make your own decisions.

How to take a pause.
How to take a pause? You can take a pause simply by saying, “I need a pause.” As a rule, the manipulator begins to press, “so, what do you mean by a pause? Don’t you have anything to say?” To this you need to answer, “I need to think.” You can consider me whoever you want, you can consider me a weakling, that's your right, and my right is to take and think.

5. "Distortion of facts."
Well, the next technique, a favorite technique of manipulators, a favorite technique of bandits, and it, of course, comes from the techniques of the special services, and it is called distortion of facts, but it is no secret, and you probably read from films, from books, that when during an interrogation by an investigator, the investigator distorts the facts, for example, when the victim says, well, we were acquainted, the investigator can then state.

So, you were in an intimate relationship, you understand, yes, that's when you say one thing, and they distort. Or, for example, you say, yes, we wrote letters to each other, aha, so you laid out secret information, that is, when they distort some words and facts. How is this used? Well, let me tell you my example.

Recently I was speaking at a conference and I was asked a question, a person raised his hand and asked, Igor, what can you say about modern diplomacy in Russia and I honestly, this is my opinion, I answer that diplomacy in Russia today is at an extremely weak level, it was impossible to share borscht, well, it was impossible, it had to belong to only one person and of course this level is not comparable to the level that existed before, even among our compatriots such as Andrei Andreevich Gromy, Gorchakov Vita and others, and then this person takes the microphone and says, so what, are you a patriot? Look, what a distortion of facts.

They asked me, what? They asked me how I feel about diplomacy, but my words were distorted, you are not a patriot. What should I answer? You need to answer as follows. I repeat once again, I said my attitude towards Russian diplomacy. Not a single word was said about patriotism and my attitude towards Russia, and you are deliberately distorting my words.

This is exactly how you need to answer, do not be afraid. When you are being interrogated by an investigator, when you are at a reception with an official, wherever you are, they will try to distort your words. And if you miss this distortion, then they will label you and attribute to you things that you have never done. Therefore, if you caught that a person is trying to distort words, “Stop, let me explain, I said this, and I did not say that.”

And this is a very good technique that allows you to get out of the water dry, and not allow yourself to be manipulated.

Conclusion.
Well, friends, here I have told you 5 techniques, 5 techniques of special services, which are also applicable in business too. The motto of my work is that you live the way you can negotiate. And this topic is the best way to improve the quality of your life through negotiation skills, so like and leave comments.

 

[chushpan]

Here is a comprehensive and detailed expansion on the methods of manipulation employed by intelligence and secret services, moving from foundational theory to real-world application and ethical consequences.

The Conceptual Foundation: The "Human Factor" as the Battleground​

At its core, espionage is a human enterprise. While technology provides powerful tools, the ultimate source of intelligence, deception, and influence is people. Manipulation, therefore, is not a peripheral activity but the central craft of intelligence work. It is the systematic process of understanding, influencing, and controlling human behavior to achieve a strategic objective.

The operating principles are:

1. Exploitation of Vulnerability: Every individual has a "center of gravity" in their psychological or circumstantial makeup. The art of the case officer lies in identifying and applying precise pressure to this point.
2. Information Asymmetry: The manipulator operates from a position of superior knowledge. They know the true purpose of the relationship, they have conducted extensive research on the target, and they control the information the target receives. This allows them to construct a tailored reality.
3. Incrementalism (The "Salami Tactics"): A target is never asked to commit a grand act of treason immediately. The process involves a series of small, justifiable steps. Each slice of the salami seems minor on its own, but the cumulative effect entangles the target beyond the point of return. A small, harmless favor today becomes a devastating compromise tomorrow.

Category 1: The Anatomy of Asset Recruitment (The MICE Model)​

The MICE acronym is the foundational model for understanding recruitment motivations, but its application is nuanced.

• M - Money: The Transactional Relationship
  • Phased Approach: It rarely begins with a direct bribe. It may start with an overpayment for a minor service, an "unsolicited grant," or covering a sudden debt. This creates a sense of obligation and tests the target's corruptibility.
  • Creating Dependency: The handler ensures the asset's lifestyle becomes dependent on the payments. A wife, a child in private school, a gambling habit — all become chains that bind the asset to continued service. The fear of losing this financial lifeline is a powerful control mechanism.
• I - Ideology: The True Believer
  • Identifying Disillusionment: Case officers look for individuals who feel betrayed by their own system — the passed-over colonel, the scientist whose research is ignored, the diplomat who disagrees with their country's foreign policy.
  • "Love-Bombing" and Validation: The handler validates the target's beliefs, making them feel heard and appreciated for the first time. They frame the act of betrayal as a higher form of loyalty — to humanity, to a true ideology, or to peace.
  • False Flag Recruitment: A potent technique where an officer poses as a representative of a cause the target would be willing to support (e.g., an environmental group) to initiate the relationship. The true sponsor is revealed only after the target is already compromised.
• C - Coercion (Compromise): The Blackmailed Asset
  • The "Honeytrap": The classic setup involves luring a target into a sexually compromising situation (heterosexual or homosexual) that is recorded. However, modern honeytraps are more sophisticated, often involving long-term romantic relationships where the target genuinely falls in love, making the subsequent blackmail even more psychologically devastating.
  • Financial Compromise: Encouraging a target to take a bribe or engage in illicit financial activity and then documenting it.
  • The "Bait": The agency might even create the problem it then offers to solve. They might frame the target for a crime they didn't commit, only to have another officer "help" them clear their name — incurring a debt of gratitude.
• E - Ego: The "Useful Idiot"
  • Appealing to Vanity: This targets individuals who feel undervalued. The handler flatters their intellect, their insider knowledge, their importance. They are made to feel like a "key player" in a grand, geopolitical game.
  • The "Non-Traditional" Approach: The handler may not even explicitly ask for secrets. Instead, they might ask for "analysis" or "insights" on unclassified matters, making the target feel like a respected consultant. The requests gradually become more specific and sensitive, all under the guise of valuing their unique perspective.

The Recruitment Pipeline:

• Spotting: Identifying a person of interest with access.
• Targeting: In-depth research into their life, habits, finances, relationships, and psychology.
• Development: The careful cultivation of a relationship. This can take months or years. The officer becomes a "friend," a "confidant," a "benefactor."
• The Pitch: The moment of truth. The officer reveals their true identity and purpose. This is a high-stakes psychological maneuver. The pitch is tailored to the primary MICE motivator and is delivered in a way that makes refusal seem dangerous or foolish.
• Handling: The long-term management of the asset, involving secure communication, tasking, and payment. This phase involves constant reinforcement of the motivator and mitigation of the asset's fear and guilt.

Category 2: Psychological Operations (PSYOPs) - Manipulating the Masses​

These are campaigns to influence the perceptions, attitudes, and behavior of foreign (and sometimes domestic) populations.

• Disinformation and Propaganda:
  • The "Firehose of Falsehood" Model: A modern approach characterized by high-volume, multi-channel, repetitive messaging that is unconcerned with truth or consistency. The goal is not to persuade but to overwhelm and confuse, eroding the public's ability to discern truth at all.
  • Forged Documents: Creating sophisticated fakes — memos, emails, intelligence reports — and leaking them to credible media outlets to create a political scandal or justify an action.
  • Co-Opting Legitimate Movements: Infiltrating authentic social or political movements (e.g., anti-war, environmental) and steering their energy and outrage toward a goal that serves the intelligence service's interest.
• Astroturfing and Bot Networks:
  • Creating Artificial Consensus: Using thousands of fake social media accounts (bots) and paid trolls to simulate grassroots support or opposition for a policy. This creates the illusion of a majority opinion, pressuring politicians and discouraging dissent.
  • Amplification and Harassment: These networks are used to amplify certain narratives and to systematically harass, dox, and intimidate journalists, activists, and political opponents into silence.
• Divide and Rule:
  • Weaponizing Social Cleavages: Identifying existing societal fault lines — race, religion, class, political affiliation — and injecting targeted propaganda to exacerbate tensions. The goal is to fracture national unity, making the country harder to govern and less of a cohesive international rival.

Category 3: Interrogation and Elicitation - Extracting Information​

• The Reid Technique (and its Darker Cousins):
  1. Positive Confrontation: The interrogator states with absolute certainty that the subject is guilty.
  2. Theme Development: Presenting psychological justifications for the crime, minimizing its moral gravity.
  3. Handling Denials: Systematically shutting down any denials, not allowing the subject to speak.
  4. Overcoming Objections: Addressing the subject's reasons why they "couldn't have done it."
  5. Procurement and Retention of Attention: Using physical proximity and gestures to keep the subject focused on the interrogator.
  6. Handling the Subject's Passive Mood: The subject becomes quiet and withdrawn, seen as a sign of resignation.
  7. Presenting an Alternative Question: Offering two choices, both implying guilt, but one with a more socially acceptable justification (e.g., "Was this your idea, or were you pressured into it?").
  8. Developing the Details of the Admission.
  9. Converting the Oral Confession to a Written One.
  10. Intelligence agencies use enhanced, more coercive versions of this, often in a state of legal exception.
• Elicitation: The Art of Invisible Questioning
  • This is the soft counterpart to interrogation. It is used at diplomatic functions, academic conferences, and in casual encounters.
  • Techniques include:
    • The False Confirmation: Stating something incorrect with confidence, prompting the target to correct you with the true information.
    • The Feigned Ignorance: Playing dumb to encourage the target to explain a topic in detail, revealing sensitive data.
    • The Bait Statement: Making a provocative statement to trigger an emotional, unguarded response that reveals the target's knowledge or allegiance.

Category 4: Advanced Coercive Techniques and "Active Measures"​

• Gaslighting on an Institutional Scale:
  • Making a target (which could be an individual, an organization, or even a foreign government) doubt their own sanity and perception of reality. This is achieved by:
    • Creating inexplicable events (e.g., causing minor malfunctions, rearranging objects).
    • Spreading rumors that the target is mentally ill or a drug addict.
    • Using disinformation to create contradictory narratives that cannot be reconciled.
• False Flag Operations:
  • Conducting an attack — bombing, cyber-attack, military provocation — and making it appear as if it was carried out by another group or nation. The goal is to provide a casus belli (justification for war), manipulate public opinion, or frame an enemy. This requires intricate planning, the use of proxy assets, and forensic deception.
• The Use of Chemical and Biological Agents:
  • Historically, agencies have explored the use of drugs like LSD (CIA's MKUltra), barbiturates, and other psychoactive substances to:
    • Create a state of confusion and amnesia during interrogation.
    • Discredit a target by administering a substance that causes erratic public behavior.
    • Force compliance by creating a chemical dependency.

The Reckoning: Blowback and Ethical Quagmires​

The use of these techniques is not without severe, often unpredictable, consequences.

• Blowback: This is the unintended, negative consequences of a covert operation that are suffered by the civil population of the initiating country. The most cited example is the U.S. funding and training of Islamist mujahideen in Afghanistan during the 1980s, which directly contributed to the rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
• Moral Hazard and Institutional Corruption: An agency that routinely engages in deception, blackmail, and violence abroad can find these practices seeping into its domestic operations and internal culture. It can corrupt the very state it is meant to protect.
• Erosion of Trust: Widespread disinformation campaigns, once exposed, erode public trust not just in the government, but in the very concepts of truth, media, and democratic discourse. This creates a cynical, fragmented society that is vulnerable to demagoguery.
• The Problem of Reliability: Information obtained under extreme coercion (torture) is notoriously unreliable. A person in extreme pain will say anything to make the pain stop, providing confessions and intelligence that are pure fiction, potentially leading to catastrophic policy decisions.

Conclusion​

The manipulation of people by secret services represents the application of advanced psychological principles in a realm devoid of conventional ethics. It is a world where friendship is a tactic, love is a weapon, and truth is a variable. While often rationalized as a necessary evil for national security, its methods are inherently corrosive, carrying the seeds of destruction not only for the targets but for the societies that sanction them. The ultimate manipulation, perhaps, is the one a state performs on itself: believing it can wield these dark arts indefinitely without being consumed by them.