Investigative journalist Florian Flade returns to discuss Russia's Harmony Undersea Surveillance System, a project aimed at protecting its nuclear submarine fleet. Florian and Chris cover the international collaboration involved in Florian’s investigation, the strategic importance of the Harmony system, and the challenges of reporting on sensitive military topics. Florian also highlights the broader implications of Russia's military activities in the Arctic and the ongoing efforts to counteract Russian procurement networks for Western technology.

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Florian’s reporting discussed in the episode

https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/russland-harmonie-unterwasser-spaehsystem-atomwaffen-100.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/23/russia-nuclear-subs-western-technology-surevillance/
https://www.icij.org/investigations/russia-archive/russia-secretly-acquired-western-technology-to-protect-its-nuclear-submarine-fleet/

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Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

S10 Ep29: How Russia Protects its Nuclear Submarines with Florian Flade